 On 25 April 1941 , King George II and his government left the Greek mainland for Crete , which was attacked by Nazi forces on 20 May 1941 . The Germans employed parachute forces in a massive airborne invasion and attacked the three main airfields of the island in Maleme , Rethymno and Heraklion . After seven days of fighting and tough resistance , Allied commanders decided that the cause was hopeless and ordered a withdrawal from Sfakia . By 1 June 1941 , the evacuation was complete and the island was under German occupation . In light of the heavy casualties suffered by the elite 7th Fliegerdivision , Hitler forbade further airborne operations . General Kurt Student would dub Crete " the graveyard of the German paratroopers " and a " disastrous victory . " During the night of 24 May , George II and his government were evacuated from Crete to Egypt . 
