DK - World War II Map by Map

THE MEDITERRANEAN AND MIDDLE EAST 73

officially neutral states, but leaning heavily toward

collaboration with Nazi Germany. Colonies loyal to Vichy

France controlled the western half of North Africa, but

Britain succeeded in gaining Syria for the Free French

(General De Gaulle’s forces, which continued to fight with

the Allies against the Axis powers after the fall of France).

Generally, the British were successful in shoring up their

position in the Middle East, securing the support of most

Jewish settlers in Palestine, and bringing Iraq and Iran into

line when their rulers leaned toward the Axis.

The Allies hold their own

Hitler never devoted sufficient resources to the Western

Desert Campaign, or to the Mediterranean generally, to

achieve decisive results. Malta was heavily bombed by

German and Italian aircraft but was never invaded, despite

being only 50 miles (80 km) from Italy. This failure to seize

an obvious prize was typical of an Axis policy that lacked

resolute focus. For Britain, on the other hand, North Africa

became very important strategically, because it was the

only place where the enemy could be engaged on land.

By 1942–1943, operations in the Mediterranean and North

Africa were central to Allied strategy.

▷ The Battle of Crete

German paratroopers land in a mass assault on Crete in May 1941.

Despite fierce local and Allied defense, the German forces captured the

Greek island after 13 days of fighting.

◁ Greece conquered

German troops raise the swastika

on the Acropolis in Athens, having

captured the Greek capital after a

three-week campaign in April 1941.

JUN 1941 OCT 1941 FEB 1942

Feb 5, 1941
Beginning of
Battle of Keren
in Eritrea

Mar 28, 1941

Royal Navy

defeats Italians

at Battle of

Cape Matapan

Apr 6, 1941

Germany and

its allies attack

Yugoslavia

and Greece

Apr 10, 1941

Croatian

nationalists the

Ustasha declare

independent

state

Apr 11, 1941

Rommel’s forces

place Tobruk

under siege

May 20, 1941

German airborne

invasion of Crete

May 27, 1941 British

troops enter Iraq

to overthrow pro-

German government

Apr 27, 1941

Germans

occupy Athens

May 5, 1941

Haile Selassie

returns to

Addis Ababa

Jun 8, 1941 British

and Free French

invade Lebanon

and Syria

Jun 15, 1941 Launch of

Operation Battleaxe, failed

British desert offensive

Nov 18, 1941

Operation Crusader

drives Axis forces

out of Cyrenaica

Sep 16, 1941 Shah of

Iran forced to abdicate

by Allied pressure

Jan 21, 1942 Rommel

counteroffensive launched;

reaches Gazala Feb 4

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