Video: 'World War II: The Battle of Crete - Full Documentary'

(Tuesday, May 20, 1941, 8:00 a.m. Central European Summer Time, during the Battle of Crete, part of the Battle of Greece and the Mediterranean theatre, during World War II) — The Battle of Crete, fought on the Greek island of Crete, began this morning when Nazi Germany launched an airborne invasion of Crete under the code-name Unternehmen Merkur (“Operation Mercury”).

After one day of fighting, the Germans had suffered heavy casualties and the Allied troops were confident that they would defeat the invasion.

Video: 'The World At War: Alone (May 1940 – May 1941)' (Crete invasion at 48:12)

The next day, through communication failures, Allied tactical hesitation and German offensive operations, Maleme Airfield in western Crete fell, enabling the Germans to land reinforcements and overwhelm the defensive positions on the north of the island.