Chapter 88 Volume 3, Chapter 15, Crete: The Imminent Crisis

Situation in Crete Weak defenses and inappropriate deployment The command structure in Cairo has a heavy load on it Domestic and field agreed to defend Crete Our precise intelligence Wavell visited Crete on April 30th I. Bernard Freiberg as Commander I sent a telegram to Admiral Cunningham on May 1st to find ways to reinforce our Air Force. Wavell and Freiberg had no illusions. Freiberg to Wavell and to New Zealand Government telegram Wavell's telegram on 2nd May New Zealand concerned about the situation of its troops I telegraphed to Mr Fraser on 3rd May Freiberg had no fear of the German air blockade of Crete We Poor Air Force The German Offensive Plans Colorado and the Searing Operations Plans Breathless Moments Wavell's Humor I informed Smuts of the brink of war.

Arguments and events have shown that Crete is of great strategic importance in our Mediterranean affairs.The British warships, if they could be based in Souda Bay or refueled there, could give the island of Malta a very good cover.If the air defenses of our base on Crete are consolidated, my superior navy will be in full effect and will be able to repel any enemy attack by sea.But just a hundred miles away is the Italian fortress of Rhodes, with its vast and fortified airfield.Since the beginning of this year Rhode Island has been the object of our capture and occupation, and we have sent the Naval Base Mobile Guard from Great Britain to the Middle East to be stationed in Rhode Island or Souda Bay as the situation requires.The naval base mobile security team is an excellent force, has received extremely strict training and good equipment, with a total of more than 5,300 people.In addition, about 2,000 commandos under the command of Colonel Laycock have also sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to reach the Middle East; this commando, together with the British Sixth Division to be formed in Egypt, can constitute an offensive force sufficient to capture Rhodes Island .The pressure of events compelled us to delay the operation; in the meantime Crete was in jeopardy if Germany sent planes to Rhodes.The Naval Base Mobile Guard sent to the Middle East remained on standby in Alexandria to deal with emergencies, and was not sent to assist in the capture and defense of Rhode Island, nor was it sent to establish the defense facilities of Souda Bay and strengthen its guards.

On the local island of Crete, various facilities are being carried out intermittently.The reader will have seen my repeated orders concerning the fortification of Souda Bay.I have even used the term a second Scapa Flow [1].We have occupied the island for nearly six months, but have so far been able to maintain only a moderately strong anti-aircraft battery in the port, and at the expense of other, more pressing needs.Nor was Middle East Command able to find labor, locally or elsewhere, to expand the airfield.When Greece was in the hands of the Allies, there was no talk of sending a large garrison to Crete, or stationing a strong air force on the island's airfield.However, preparations should now be made to be able to accommodate incoming reinforcements or, if necessary, troops.However, neither plans were made nor managed to push forward.In six months, six commanders were changed.Middle East Command should have looked more closely at the conditions under which Crete could be defended against naval and air attack.It never occurred to anyone in advance to establish a port at Sfakia or Timbaki on the south of the island, or, if this could not be done, at least to prepare some means of landing; Gulf and airfield roads for reinforcements west of Crete from Egypt.Responsibility for poor research and poor execution of orders should be shared between Cairo and Whitehall.

【1】Located in the north of Scotland, it is an important military port of the United Kingdom.translator It was not until after the defeats in Cyrenaica, Crete, and the deserts that I realized how heavily burdened General Wavell's apparatus was and how little support it had.Wavell was doing his best; but his war organization was too weak for him to cope with the mass of affairs that four or five simultaneous campaigns were throwing at him. After the German conquest of Greece, Crete became the last foothold of the Greek king and government, as well as an important shelter for troops of various arms.We do know that Germany is eyeing the island.For us it is an important outpost for Egypt and the island of Malta.We are now in a state of confusion of defeat and misery, and even then there is no disagreement among those in charge, whether at home or in the field, concerning the defense of Crete. disagreement.Wavell called (April 16) saying that I think Crete should be held.Another call the next day said we were preparing to retreat (from Greece) and hold Crete.

We have known for a long time that Göring had worked hard to create and develop a capable airborne force capable of mass landings.This is exactly what caters to the heart of the enthusiastic and loyal Nazi youth in Germany.The German paratroop division was an elite force whose role we had considered in our study of how to defend the homeland from German invasion.But all such plans in Germany required, at least temporarily, daytime air supremacy.Germany had no such air supremacy over Britain.The situation in Crete was different.The enemy enjoys sufficient and apparently durable air superiority in the Balkans and Aegean, which they now use as their principal weapon.

Not once in this war has our intelligence agencies received such reliable and detailed information.After the enemy's capture of Athens, the German staff, ecstatic and carried away, were less cautious than usual, while our spies in Greece were active and daring.During the last week of April we received important information from reliable sources as to Germany's next move.The mobilization of the German Eleventh Air Force Corps and the excitement of the personnel involved, as well as the frantic collection of small ships by the Germans in the Greek ports, have not escaped the eyes of those who are interested.Everything pointed to the imminent German attack on Crete by sea and air.Never in all my campaigns have I personally studied and weighed the evidence so painstakingly, or ascertained, that the commander-in-chief's impression of the scale of the enemy's imminent attack was indeed impressed and communicated to the generals in the field They are gone.

On April 28, our Joint Intelligence Committee in London made an estimate of the scale and nature of the enemy's plan to attack Crete. They considered that the enemy's simultaneous air and sea attack on the island was imminent.They believe that the enemy may collect 315 long-range bombers, 60 twin-engine fighters, 240 dive bombers and 270 single-engine fighters in the Balkan countries for various purposes; Three or four thousand paratroopers or airborne troops may be dropped on the first attack, and there may be two or three daily assaults from Greece and three or four assaults from Rhodes Island, all covered by fighter jets.There will be heavy bombardment before the arrival of air and sea troops, and there will be no shortage of troops and ships for a sea attack.

We immediately telegraphed the above situation to the Cairo headquarters, and on the same day I personally telephoned General Wavell for further emphasis. Prime Minister to General Wavell April 28, 1941 From the information we have received, it appears that a major German attack on Crete with airborne troops and bombers is imminent.Xi will tell you the situation of the troops stationed on the island and your plan.This should be a great opportunity to wipe out the paratroopers.The island must be held. General Wavell did not initially accept our belief that Crete was an enemy target, thinking that the Germans might have deliberately spread rumors to conceal their real plans.Nevertheless, he immediately deployed with his usual military vigor and agility, and flew to the island himself.His reply showed the situation at that time.

General Wavell to the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of Staff Committee April 29, 1941 Crete was warned of a possible attack by German airborne forces on April 18.At present, in addition to the three infantry battalions, two squadrons of heavy anti-aircraft guns, three squadrons of light anti-aircraft guns and the coastal defense artillery team, there are at least 30,000 soldiers evacuated from Greece on the island.This group of soldiers is being organized to defend key points of the island such as Souda Bay, Chania, Rethymnon and Iraklin.Morale was reported to be good.Weapons are mainly rifles, with a few light machine guns.In addition, several units of Greek recruits were formed to guard the airfield and (guard) the prisoners of war.

2. The Naval Base Mobile Guard will arrive in Crete in the first two weeks of May. 3. I plan to inspect Crete tomorrow and report immediately after returning. 4. Perhaps the plan to attack Crete was a cover for an attack on Syria or the island of Cyprus, while the real plan was revealed even to (their) own army only at the last moment.This is in line with the German habit. I once suggested to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff that General Freiberg should be appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Crete garrison; he proposed to Wavell, who immediately agreed.Bernard Freiberg and I have known each other for many years.In the First World War, he came to England through hardships as a young volunteer from New Zealand. He held a letter of introduction to me and visited the Admiralty one day in September 1914. I, and request for delegation.At that time, I was in the process of setting up the Royal Naval Division, and soon made the necessary referrals.A few days later, he was commissioned as a lieutenant at Camp Hood.It is not possible to describe here one by one the illustrious military exploits he has repeatedly established; because of these exploits, he was promoted to brigade commander during the four years he fought on the front line, and was appointed as the commander of all defenders of Pakistan at the critical moment of the German summer offensive in 1918. Commander of Yere's Frontal Gap Force, almost a corps.His distinguished exploits are marked by the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Order with two gold threads.

Freiberg, like Caldon de Viard, the only comparable to him, deserves the title of soldier who is not afraid of artillery fire that I have given them.Both of them became famous in the gunfire. Although they were covered with bruises, their spirit and body were not affected. In the twenties I lived with Bernard Freiberg in a country house, and one day I asked him to show me the scars.He undressed, and I counted twenty-seven scars and deep wounds on his body.In addition to these scars, he will add three more wounds in the Second World War.But, of course, as he explained, every time you get hit by a bullet or a piece of shrapnel, it almost always leaves two wounds, because mostly the bullet goes in and goes out.There was no one better suited to command the New Zealand division when this new war broke out, and he himself would have liked to have been selected.In September 1940, I had daydreams about giving him a post with greater authority.Now, at last, his chance to serve as the decisive commander has come.Freiberger has this advantage: no matter where he is sent, no matter what army his superiors allocate to him, he is willing to fight for the emperor and Britain with an invincible heart, and his personal indomitable and firm spirit is also infectious. looking at all the people around him. We do our best at home to assist commanders and troops in difficult tasks. Prime Minister to Admiral Cunningham May 1, 1941 We are doing everything we can to reinforce you with air force.We have decided to repeat the most recent (in terms of air reinforcements) operation as soon as possible, on a much larger scale than previous reinforcements.Ark Royal, Argos, Furious and Victory will be used to carry up to 140 additional Tornado fighters and 18 Petrel fighters, and the pilots will accompany the aircraft.We hope that by May 25, sixty-four Tornadoes and nine Petrels have arrived in the Middle East.At the same time, twenty-five fighter pilots will leave for Takoradi on May 23 to expedite the delivery of Tornado and Tomahawk fighters.Due to the use of the above-mentioned aircraft carrier, the route can be via Takoradi to Egypt, which will increase some transport capacity, which will be diverted to increase the transportation of Tomahawk and Tornado fighters.At the same time, Brenham bombers will be transported as much as possible. Regarding the reinforcement of the bombers, another telegram may be sent in the future. 2. Once again the Navy has done a very good and very successful operation to rescue the Army and move four-fifths of the Army, and I congratulate you on that. 3. We must now fight hard for the defense of Crete and Malta.Crete seemed about to be attacked by the enemy on a large scale; the island of Malta could serve as a base for my small fleet, from which I could begin to harass the enemy's communications to Libya.The continuous improvement of the attitude of the United States and their cooperative attitude in the navy are enough to prove that the risk is worth taking.Your Tiger plan is perfectly sound and has a good chance of success. 4. However, the task we most want you to carry out is to prevent the ports of Cyrenaica from bringing in military supplies from the sea, and to destroy these ports as much as possible.We are disturbed whenever we hear of the enemy delivering ship after ship of valuable aircraft fuel.This battle to defend Egypt was as evenly matched as Duke Wellington said.But if we can support you and Wavell with the Tiger and Jaguar programs (Air Force Reinforcement) as we have planned, and you can cut off the enemy's supplies, then our large forces in the Middle East will soon regain the upper hand.Wish you all the best. Freiberg and Wavell are under no illusions. General Freiberg to General Wavell May 1, 1941 My existing army is totally inadequate for any possible attack by the enemy.Unless fighter jets are greatly increased, and naval forces are dispatched to deal with attacks from the sea, I can hardly hope to hold positions with ground forces alone.This army now, as a result of the Greek campaign, had lost all its artillery, lacked entrenching tools, had few vehicles, and had insufficient war reserves of equipment and ammunition.The army here can fight and will fight, but without the full support of naval and air forces there is no hope of repelling an invading enemy force.If the above-mentioned troops cannot be dispatched immediately due to other reasons, please reconsider the issue of defending Crete immediately.I feel that, in accordance with the duties assigned to me in my commission, I should inform the New Zealand Government of the present situation of the majority of the troops in my division. He also informed his own government that: May 1, 1941 I feel it is my duty to report the military situation in Crete.The decision made by London was to defend Crete at all costs.I have received an estimate from the War Department of the size of the enemy attack.In my opinion, the island can only be held with adequate naval and air support.There was no sign of a navy strong enough to defend against a sea invasion, and the island's air force consisted of only six Tornado fighters and seventeen old planes.The army could and would fight, but, as a result of the Greek campaigns, had lost all its artillery, had insufficient entrenching tools, few vehicles, and insufficient wartime stocks of equipment and ammunition.I wish to stress to the government the grave situation facing the greater part of the New Zealand Division, and suggest that you put pressure on the highest authorities in London, either to supply us with sufficient manpower and material resources to defend the island, or to reconsider defending the island to the death decision.Of course I have called the Commander-in-Chief in the Middle East to formally express my opinion on this matter. General Wavell to Chief of the Imperial General Staff May 2, 1941 The defense of Crete will present difficult problems for our armed forces, mainly due to the enemy's air superiority.The port and airfield are located in the northern part of the island, so the activities of my aircraft and ships are more easily spotted by the enemy.The only good (and not so good) road on the island runs east to west along the north coast, which is also quite exposed. 2. There is no good north-south road, and there is no port on the south bank. Although time permits, it can be built gradually.There is a great lack of transportation on the island. 3. It is necessary to import a large amount of food for residents.If towns were bombed heavily and we couldn't provide fighter protection, then we could have a political problem. 4. In order to garrison the island effectively, at least three brigades and a considerable number of anti-aircraft artillery units are required.The current defenders consisted of three British regular battalions, six New Zealand battalions, one Australian battalion and two mixed battalions made up of troops withdrawn from Greece.The two battalions from Greece were undernumbered and underequipped.No cannon.The anti-aircraft artillery team is small, but it is being strengthened. 5. As for the air force, there are currently no new aircraft on the island. 6. Currently, the Greek army is largely untrained and unarmed. 7. All difficulties are being dealt with. Given time, difficulties can be overcome, but air defense will always be a difficult problem. The New Zealand government is of course worried about their army division.I explained the situation to the New Zealand Government and to the Prime Minister of New Zealand, Mr Fraser, who arrived in Cairo on his way to the UK. Prime Minister to Prime Minister of New Zealand May 3, 1941 I am very pleased that the New Zealand division arrived in Crete in an orderly manner in the emergency of the retreat, after having fought valiantly in the Greek campaign.Of course, we will try our best to re-equip them, especially the cannon that is being shipped.General Wavell was strong in artillery.Successfully defending Crete was one of the most important factors in defending Egypt.I am very pleased that General Wavell has accepted my proposal to appoint Freiberg commander of the island's garrison.Please rest assured that we will do our best to support him. 2. Our intelligence indicates that the enemy will soon attack Crete by airborne forces, and may also attempt to attack by sea.Our navy will do its best to prevent the enemy's sea attack, and the attack in this direction will not be too large.As far as the airborne attack was concerned, this would have served the New Zealand Army well, as they would have been engaged in hand-to-hand combat with an enemy who in this case could not make use of the tanks and artillery on which it relied so much.If the enemy landed on Crete, it would be the beginning, not the end, of their predicament.The island has rolling mountains and dense forests, and your army is very useful.It is easier for us to reinforce the island than the enemy, and there are already more than 30,000 troops on the island. 3. However, the enemy may only feign an attack on Crete, when in fact he will advance eastward across the island.We must account for all contingencies in employing our limited and overburdened air force.Why is it that the quantity is limited and the burden is too heavy?This is not because we do not have growing manpower and reserves here, nor because we are not doing everything in our power to reinforce the Middle East with air power. It's just because we have practical difficulties getting the planes and pilots to the scene, relying on the routes and methods we are able to utilize now.You may rest assured that we are doing what we can to reinforce our air force, and we are now engaged in a very far-reaching but dangerous endeavor.All aspects of the Middle East are competing for air support, and this matter should be handled by the commanders-in-chief.I also hope that the situation in the Middle East will improve in a month or so. 4. When the New Zealand division retreated from Greece, the whole New Zealand suppressed their anxiety and showed solemnity and calmness, which made everyone here admire.It is a great consolation to the Empire that the division successfully concluded the battle after inflicting heavy losses on the enemy in Greece and enabling us to fulfill our promise to Greece. Freiberg was undeterred.He did not immediately believe that the scale of the enemy airborne attack would be that great.What he was afraid of was an organized and massive attack by the enemy from the sea.Although our air power is weak, we hope that the navy can prevent the enemy from attacking by sea. General Freiberg to Prime Minister (in the UK) May 5, 1941 I don't know what fear is; I don't have the slightest fear of an airborne attack; I'm prepared and I think my troops can handle it.The situation is different if the seaborne force and the airborne force jointly attack.If there is a joint attack by the enemy before I can bring in the artillery and transport, the situation will be difficult.Even so, as long as the navy can provide support, I believe that there will be no defeat. After we have acquired equipment and transport and added a small number of fighters, it is time to defend Crete.Along the way, we will have a period of weak defenses. Everyone here is in high spirits, and is eager to fight the enemy again, as we met them in Greece, we hit them head on. It is not without reason that the BBC and newspaper reports did not mention the important and heroic performance of New Zealand officers and soldiers in the Greek rear line. I immediately tried my best to dispel the sense of injustice felt by the New Zealand officers and soldiers. Prime Minister to General Wavell May 7, 1941 If you have no objections, please forward the following telegram to General Freiberg: Everyone in Britain has watched with gratitude and admiration the great exploits of the New Zealand division on the immortal Greek battlefields.Our full picture of the campaign was only gradually being learned, and is still being learned.As coverage of the field increases, we learn more and more of the important part you played in an honorable mission and a celebrated deed.Throughout the Empire and the English-speaking world, New Zealand's name is revered.Our hearts are with you now.May God bless you all. The geography of Crete did indeed make defense difficult.Its only road is on the north coast, along which all the vulnerable points of the island are situated. The defense of each stronghold must rely on its own strength.Once this road is cut off by the enemy and heavily guarded, we cannot transfer the Central Reserve Army to the threatened stronghold at any time.From the south coast to the north coast, there are only some small roads from the south coast to the north in Sfakia and Timbaki, which are not suitable for motorized transport vehicles.When the military leaders concerned began to feel that the crisis was imminent, they tried every means to send reinforcements, supplies and weapons, especially artillery, to the island, but it was too late.During the second week of May, the Luftwaffe, flying from bases in Greece and the Aegean, effectively imposed a daytime blockade of Crete, attacking all shipping to and from the island, especially the only one with a port. The north shore was especially tightly blocked.During the first three weeks of May, 27,000 tons of vital weapons were shipped to Crete, and less than 3,000 tons reached the island. The rest had to be transshipped, and 3,000 tons were lost en route. above.Our air defense strength includes sixteen heavy anti-aircraft guns (3‧7-inch caliber mobile anti-aircraft guns), thirty-six light anti-aircraft guns (Bofors type) and twenty-four anti-aircraft searchlights.There were only nine semi-old infantry tanks distributed among the various airfields, in addition to sixteen light tanks.On May 9, a part of the mobile defense force of the naval base arrived on the island, including a heavy anti-aircraft battery and a light anti-aircraft battery, and was immediately sent to Souda Bay to strengthen the defense.About 2,000 men of the Mobile Guard arrived in Crete, but 3,000 remained in Egypt, although they could have arrived at the time.There were 6,000 Italian prisoners of war on the island, which added to the burden on the defense of the island. The strength of my guard force is mainly used to protect the landing site.2 British and 3 Greek battalions at Iraqi Klin; 19th Australian Brigade and 6 Greek battalions around Rethymnon; 2 Australian and 2 Greek battalions near Souda Bay; At Malim, a New Zealand brigade was stationed near the airfield and another brigade to the east of it stood ready to respond.In addition to these defenders there were several rifle companies, improvised groups of soldiers who had been evacuated from Greece.The Greek battalion was undernumbered, armed only with off-brand rifles and not much ammunition.The imperial troops that participated in the defense of Crete amounted to some 28,600 men. Germany was able to attack, of course, only because of the weakness of my air force in Crete.At the beginning of May, the RAF aircraft on the island consisted of twelve Birmingham bombers, six Tornados, twelve Gladiators and six Petrels and Brewsters belonging to the Naval Air Force, only Half are usable.Aircraft are distributed among the small Rethymnon airfield, the Malim airfield for fighter jets only, and the Iraqi Klin airfield, which can accommodate all types of aircraft.This was nothing compared to the overwhelming force of the enemy's air force which was about to be thrown at the island.The disadvantage of our air force was fully felt by those concerned, and on May 19, the day before the German attack, all aircraft remaining on the island were withdrawn to Egypt.The War Cabinet, the Chiefs of Staff and the Commanders-in-Chief of the Middle East theater all knew that there was only one way to go at this time: either to fight in this extremely unfavorable situation; or to withdraw from the island as soon as possible, which was still too late in early May .But we were all unanimous in agreeing to fight; and how near we came, notwithstanding our inadequacy in every respect, from our hindsight and what we learned; How profound it is.With this in mind, we should feel comfortable with the risks we run and the costs we pay. We can now turn to the German plans for the attack on Crete, which we learned after the Battle of Crete began.The plan was carried out by the Eleventh Air Force Corps, which included the Seventh Air Division and the Fifth Mountain Division, and was supported by the Sixth Mountain Division.Nearly 16,000 people, mostly paratroopers, will land by airdrop and another 7,000 will land by sea.In addition, the Eighth Air Force Corps provided air support.The number of aircraft available for combat is: 280 bombers; 150 dive bombers; 180 fighters (Messerschmitt 109 and Messerschmitt 100) ; 40 reconnaissance aircraft; 100 glider; 530 Junker 52 (transport aircraft); a total of 1,280. The seaborne troops and a batch of supplies will be transported by two transport fleets composed of Greek light sailing ships [1].Apart from the cover of the Luftwaffe, they have no other escort measures.We shall soon see what their fate is. 【1】Greek schooner is a kind of two-masted sailing ship, which is now usually propelled by a motor. The attack of the Airborne Forces was planned in three areas: Iraklin in the east; Rethymnon, Suda, and Chania in the center; and most importantly, of course, Malim in the west.Generally speaking, the preparatory action before launching an offensive is to bombard the ground and anti-aircraft installations with bombs weighing up to 1,000 pounds for an hour.Then came the main force landing by glider and/or parachute.Then came the reinforcements carried by transport planes.In their entire operational concept, the key move should be the capture of Malim Airfield.It would be impossible for them to land the 6th Mountain Division in the army-carrying planes (forty or fifty men per plane) by airdropping only the paratroopers in the countryside a few miles away from the Malim airfield, and then Then fly back to continue carrying.The Germans had to occupy that airfield effectively and smoothly, not only for the landing of the planes, but also for the re-launching of the planes.Only by means of several reciprocating flights were they able to bring in the large numbers of troops on which their whole plan was based. We used the code word Colorado for Crete, and scorching heat, as we imagined, for the German attack. Days of uneasiness pass by.We only get a little relief from the restlessness in our hearts because we are busy with other problems.The time for the German attack was drawing nearer. Prime Minister to General Wavell May 12, 1941 Please consider sending at least a dozen additional infantry tanks with skilled personnel to assist (against) Operation Searing. Prime Minister to General Wavell May 14, 1941 All the information I have received indicates that the enemy will start to implement the searing operation plan any day after the 17th.It seems that every action of the enemy is to carry out this plan, and the arrangement is very careful.Hopefully you have prepared enough defenses for Colorado and that the troops there have been given the necessary artillery, machine guns and armored vehicles.The enemy is preparing to launch a plan of such magnitude and complexity that it is likely that the date of commencement of operations will be delayed.It is therefore entirely possible that the reinforcements you send out now will arrive in time, and should the enemy have gained a foothold, they will certainly be able to catch up to the second turn.I especially expect our good troops to have an opportunity to engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy, who lacks the usual advantage of mechanization on the island, and we are indeed more likely to be reinforced than the enemy.I take it that you have worked out the details with Admiral Cunningham, and that you and Ted have agreed on the best plan for the Air Force after considering other missions.Wish you all the best. Prime Minister to General Wavell May 15, 1941 I feel more and more that the enemy's impending attack on Colorado is very strong, especially the airborne forces.I believe that all possible reinforcements have been brought to the island. Wavell is still very humorous at such times. General Wavell to Prime Minister May 15, 1941 The Colorado has been equipped as best it can be against beetle infestation.The latest reinforcements include six infantry tanks, sixteen light tanks, eighteen anti-aircraft guns, seventeen field guns, and a battalion of troops.I'm about to send a small force, maybe a battalion or two, with some tanks, to land on the south coast of Colorado as a reserve, and also intend to keep the Polish brigade for possible reinforcements, but landing reinforcements is a difficult problem . 2. Cunningham, Ted, and I discussed the Colorado issue on May 12th, and then held a tri-service staff meeting.We try to agree on plans that work together. 3. Defending Colorado is not an easy task, and Germany's blitzkrieg often first takes measures to obstruct the other side's reinforcements.But we have strong-willed troops led by resolute commanders, all of whom are gearing up for battle.So I hope the enemy will find out that their searing plan is indeed a hot one. General Wavell to Prime Minister May 16, 1941 The following telegram has just been received from Freiberg: The defense plan for Crete has been completed, and he has just returned from the last stop of his inspection tour.I was greatly encouraged during this visit.Officers and soldiers everywhere are ready and their morale is high.All fortifications have been expanded, and barbed wire has been placed as far as possible on the positions.We have placed forty-five field guns and have sufficient ammunition in store.Each airfield is equipped with two infantry tanks.Transport vehicles are being disembarked and handed over to various units.The second batch of Leicester tanks has arrived and will strengthen the defenses of Iraqi Klin.I don't want to be overconfident, but I think we can at least show our skills. I believe that with the assistance of the Royal Navy we will be able to hold Crete. Prime Minister to Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Theater May 18, 1941 If our operation against the enemy's scorching heat is successful, it will certainly affect the entire world situation.God bless you in this momentous and decisive battle, which will shake every field. Prime Minister to General Freiberg May 18, 1941 We are pleased to learn that you have made a strong deployment and that reinforcements have arrived.In these fateful days, we are thinking of you all the time. We are sure that you and your brave soldiers will perform immortal feats.The Royal Navy will do what it can.The victories you gain where you stand will powerfully affect the state of the world. I shared my whole opinion with Smuts, who was in constant contact with me. prime minister to general smuts May 16, 1941 As usual, I agree very much with your military views.I have recently taken steps to reinforce Wavell's weakest link, and I hope that we will be successful in a major offensive operation in the western desert in the next few weeks.We expect the enemy to attack Crete in a big way soon, and have made all preparations.If we succeed in the above two places, then our problems in Syria and Iraq are simple.We are doing everything possible to provide the most powerful air reinforcement to the Middle East. I believe that this summer's campaign in the Eastern Mediterranean will be victorious and secure the Nile Valley and the Suez Canal.President Roosevelt was trying to get American supplies to Suez.We very much welcome South African troops moving to the Mediterranean coast. 2. The situation in the western Mediterranean is more worrying, but Spain has withstood German pressure.We will let Darlan know in due course that if the Vichy planes bomb Gibraltar, we will not bomb France but the Vichy scoundrels, wherever they may hide.We have not discounted the possibility that the port of Gibraltar will become unusable and have therefore made the best possible preparations.The United States may be willing to engage further in West Africa, especially in Dakar. 3. The Battle of the Atlantic finally went smoothly.希特勒想在五月間使封鎖達到高潮但未能如願，我運輸船隊在過去六個星期中反而獲得許多個月以來最出色的成績。我們在大西洋一定會得到美國日益增加的援助，而且我個人深信，我們在年終以前將在各個重要方面加強我們的地位。美國方面正在積極準備，以便彌補一九四二年船舶的損失，因此我覺得他們正一步一步地接近作出偉大決定的時刻。但是，我們最好不要過分指望這一點。 四‧看來，希特勒正集中力量對付俄國。部隊、裝甲車和飛機正不停地從巴爾幹向北、從法國和德國向東移動。我個人認為，對他最有利的行動是進攻烏克蘭和高加索，那樣可以確保穀類與汽油的供應。沒有人能夠阻止他這樣做，但是我們希望經過一段歲月能從他的背後徹底摧毀他的本土。我確信，上帝必幫助我們消滅納粹政權。 五‧國王對我說，他將於五月二十四日以專電祝賀你的誕辰，所以現在我向你致衷心賀忱。 我們就這樣走到了克里特島戰役的邊緣。