The attack was launched on May 20 , 1941 . The Germans attacked the three main airfields of the island , at the northern towns of Maleme , Rethimnon , and Heraklion , with paratroopers and gliders . The Germans met stubborn resistance from the British , Australian , New Zealand and the remaining Greek troops on the island , and from local civilians . At the end of the first day , none of the objectives had been reached . During the next day however , partly through miscommunication and failure of the Allied commanders to grasp the situation , Maleme airfield in western Crete fell to the Germans . With Maleme airfield secured , the Germans flew in thousands of reinforcements and captured the rest of the western side of the island . This was followed by severe British naval losses due to intense German air attacks around the island . After seven days of fighting the Allied commanders realized that victory was no longer possible . By June 1 , the evacuation of Crete by the Allies was complete and the island was under German occupation . In light of the heavy casualties suffered by the elite 7th Flieger Division , Adolf Hitler forbade further large-scale airborne operations . General Kurt Student would dub Crete " the graveyard of the German paratroopers " and a " disastrous victory . " Immediately after the fall of Crete , Gen. Student ordered a wave of reprisals against the local population ( Kondomari , Alikianos , Kandanos , etc. ) . The reprisals were carried out rapidly , omitting formalities and by the same units who had been confronted by the locals . Very soon , the Cretans formed resistance groups and in cooperation with British SOE agents began to harass the German forces with considerable success till the end of the war . As a result , mass reprisals against civilians continued throughout the occupation ( Heraklion , Viannos , Kali Sykia , Kallikratis , Damasta , Kedros , Anogeia , etc . )
Kedros
Holocaust of Kedros
Military history of Greece during World War II