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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