256: Crete Pt. 1 - Preparations

Following the Allied defeat on the Greek mainland, thousands of British, Australian, and New Zealand troops were evacuated to the island of Crete in late April 1941, many arriving without their heavy weapons and with morale badly shaken. This episode examines the Allied defense of Crete under General Bernard Freyberg, who despite possessing Ultra intelligence pointing clearly to a German airborne assault, fatally misread the threat and positioned his forces to repel a seaborne invasion instead. We explore how a rapid succession of British commanders, chronic shortages of aircraft and artillery, and Freyberg's misplaced confidence in the Royal Navy shaped...