Swastika over the Acropolis: Re-interpreting the Nazi Invasion of Greece in World War II

665 Pages·2013·10.59 MB·English

by  Craig Stockings

contents i
Swastika over the Acropolis
ii contents
History of Warfare
Editors
Kelly DeVries
Loyola University Maryland
John France
University of Wales, Swansea
Michael S. Neiberg
United States Army War College, Pennsylvania
Frederick Schneid
High Point University, North Carolina
VOLUME 92
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/hw
contents iii
Swastika over the Acropolis
Re-interpreting the Nazi Invasion of Greece in
World War II
By
Craig Stockings and Eleanor Hancock
LEIDEN • BOSTON
2013
iv contents
Cover illustration: Field Marshal Walther von Brauchitsch, centre, visits the Acropolis in Athens during
the German occupation of Greece in 1941.
Source: ullstein bild/The Granger Collection, New York: 0084444
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stockings, Craig A. J., author.
Swastika over the Acropolis : re-interpreting the Nazi invasion of Greece in World War Two / by
Craig Stockings and Eleanor Hancock.
pages cm. -- (History of warfare ; volume 92)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-90-04-25457-2 (hardback : alk. paper) -- ISBN 978-90-04-25459-6 (e-book) 1. World War,
1939-1945--Campaigns--Greece. 2. Greece--History--Occupation, 1941-1944. I. Hancock, Eleanor,
author. II. Title.
D766.3.S76 2013
940.54’2195--dc23
2013019451
This publication has been typeset in the multilingual “Brill” typeface. With over 5,100 characters
covering Latin, IPA, Greek, and Cyrillic, this typeface is especially suitable for use in the humanities.
For more information, please see www.brill.com/brill-typeface.
ISSN 1385-7827
ISBN 978-90-04-25457-2 (hardback)
ISBN 978-90-04-25459-6 (e-book)
Copyright 2013 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Koninklijke Brill NV incorporates the imprints Brill, Global Oriental, Hotei Publishing,
IDC Publishers and Martinus Nijhoff Publishers.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, translated, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher.
Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use is granted by Koninklijke Brill NV provided
that the appropriate fees are paid directly to The Copyright Clearance Center,
222 Rosewood Drive, Suite 910, Danvers, MA 01923, USA.
Fees are subject to change.
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
contents v
For Emma, Georgia, Charlotte and Thomas Stockings
and
in loving memory of
Eva Maria Jutta Hancock (1921-2008)
and
William Frederick Hancock (1922-2008)
vi contents
T’was just a month ago—not more—
We sailed to Greece to win the war
We marched and groaned beneath our load,
While bombers bombed us off the road,
They chased us here, they chased us there
The blighters chased us everywhere
And while they dropped their loads of death,
We cursed the bloody R.A.F.
Yet the R.A.F. were there in force—
They left a few at home of course—
We saw the entire squad one day
When a Spitfire spat the other way
And when we heard the wireless news
When portly Winston gave his views,
“The R.A.F.” he said, “in Greece
Are fighting hard to bring us peace!”
And so we scratched our heads and thought,
‘This smells distinctly like a “rort”,
For if in Greece the air force be,
Then where the flamin’ hell are we?’
And then at last we met the Hun
At odds of thirty-three to one
And tho’ he made it pretty hot
We gave the bugger all we’d got.
The bullets whizzed, the big guns roared,
We howled for ships to get aboard
At length they came and on we got
And hurried from that cursed spot.
Extract from ‘The Isle of Doom’ by ‘Bouff’1
1 Extract from ‘The Isle of Doom’, draft synopsis of the 2/1st Battalion unit history, AWM
MSS0958.
contents vii
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   ix
List of Maps and Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   xi
Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .   xv
xviii
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1
PART ONE
SETTING THE SCENE
1. Axis Ambitions in Europe and Greece 1933-1940: ‘Greece is
assigned to the mercy of Italy’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
2. The Italo-Greek War, the Powers and the Balkans: ‘My friend
Mussolini is a very sensitive gentleman’ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
3. Albania, the Bulgarian Frontier & Greek Defensive Schemes . . . 71
4. The Die is Cast: German and British Planning in Early March
1941 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
5. The Gathering Storm: Mid-March and Early April 1941 . . . . . . . . 115
PART TWO
THE DRAMA UNFOLDS
6. Opening Moves (6-7 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
7. The Fall of Northeastern Greece (8-9 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
8. New Battle Lines (10-12 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207
9. The Battle of Vevi (12-13 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 237
10. Pressure on the Passes (14-15 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 271
11. Allied Withdrawal Planning & Operations (15-16 April) . . . . . . . 301
12. The Battle of Pinios Gorge (17-18 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
13. Across the Plains of Thessaly (17-18 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
14. The End in Epirus (19-21 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 391
15. Brallos and the Thermopylae Pass (22-24 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
16. Corinth and the Peloponnese (25-26 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 457
17. The Final Evacuations (27-28 April) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 485
viii contents
PART THREE
EVALUATION
18. The Outcome Explained . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
19. Justifications, Vindications and Unnecessary Debates . . . . . . . . . 543
20. Marita and Barbarossa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 569
Epilogue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 589
Bibliography . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 599
Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 621
646
CNCTTCACTCTPECTCJCPCACCALCIPSCACBBICTCCTPTCOCTCMECCCACTunNAAAEIrVphhhhhhhHhhrICOOhhhhhhhhhohhhhhhhhhohhclxlepSsateBlbaDTArRRRieeeeeeeeeiwnraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaairKteETNNrsllsoeaLioiT opppppppppppppppppppplTTTiEtLnsn BBEFOgdfI f N donstTVIAeDBdOatiuIgttttttttttttttttttttU aXiaOitisnaacTTsaO NinueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeOEnlEneuuaWmhr tRa F la ttAdltrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraHWeGatth NgtGNaNctteo W,hiot AcsatT n b llnTTTTTTMENFSENEOFFFSSSsi etli tioRR-eelTmoe fTEt Onoin MhIedTeieiieooGwwwdiirhhiEilL choiin n xxtAEOmfvSeNggAI inoodnvvnn p euu H aoitirvEnOLErdneeoB t eet vhhAEoreeePffest NP oleeeserravhetBlnDigtr p E e aha,ttnnNne t etvVH nP teherce Sea eeU neVit:urieE ent Gset sk uenensiw SeSeryb eYGehAee tnl TiNx uv nCsaP i gEsonn(Wna eaPnenpie Nhis 6taFa (EroMrd on l ae ir l(e1 mor-saO(DEosaPNfmisl 17is1rc0oErs tnaiulTGL me2,: Esena9Fa p- aANnrstmsaDh1-rt one-Inoho o1 pTin 2(Ge2(fdrSonp niep23r1raS 1gsd UGon iAein7y s4ne p nl-A nA asl)r-RMe p-adoag( 2epl1tsapnrE1yw e ie8eaB&r5iner d7 Slic( rPe i rr)dl(A A1 -lce)ir OaG2)1& th 7s pUp si(58pr s -sr8 arae-nG1 he iiAn2-(enlln8r9 )r2)6dpcpad e e 2Ae A ltr eActaei- ihpk1ope2lnap)e sr9nr4rdn risi l3si lBleiayAl)) n3)(f-ar pA e1yg-l1knr 5p122233333444555552223vixx111134556191111155473Diix9asn-iivl70032255958811114377055792892114444766515ri1i)ne4ii v97779999175511333711115991577999997el ib6s0.,e a : a.1: A r‘s.t‘M9l Gcep.y 4hs.r yr M1 e..ei lf...em)r a....ci re....ee c....ns hi.....ds ..... 1 a.....M 9s..... s4.....u i.....1gs .....sn ......o e......l di...... n...... ti......o ......i st...... h......a ......e v...... me...... r...... ey...... r ......sc ......e y......n ......o s......fi ......t Ii......tv ......ae ......l y......g ’......e .......n ....... t.......l e....... .......m ....... a....... .......n .......’ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ ........ 3154.... 9071423111153557
acknowledgements ix
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
One pleasant aspect of completing a book is that it brings with it the op-
portunity to give proper thanks to all the individuals and institutions that
helped to make it possible. We would first to acknowledge the generous
support provided to this endeavour by the Australian Research Council
and the Australian Army History Unit. Mr Roger Lee and his team at the
AHU remain a key institution in promoting the study and understanding
of Australian military history. Thanks also to the University of New South
Wales, and our Faculty, UNSW Canberra, for their generous support.
At a personal level we would like to thank a number of our colleagues
within the School of Humanities and Social Sciences at UNSW@ADFA for
their wise counsel and their patience with the ideas we raised in our tea
room discussions. We are particularly indebted to Emeritus Professor Peter
Dennis, Professor Jeffrey Grey, Dr John Connor, and Professor Robin Prior
for their advice, and Emeritus Professor Peter Dennis, Dr Elizabeth Green-
halgh, and Ms Miesje de Vogel for their invaluable editorial assistance. We
are grateful to Dr David Stahel for his stimulating advice and editorial sug-
gestions, as well as his initial research assistance and troubleshooting in
Germany. We also wish to thank Mr Keith Mitchell for his provision of such
high quality maps.
Throughout the process of research and writing the helpfulness of ar-
chivists from various state offices of the National Archives and the Austra-
lian War Memorial was greatly appreciated, as was the cheerful support
offered from various state public record offices across Australia. For their
expert assistance while researching in Britain and Germany, we thank the
staff at the Cadbury Research Library at the University of Birmingham,
Churchill Archives Centre, the Imperial War Museum, the Liddell Hart
Centre for Military Archives, King’s College, London, the National Archives
of the United Kingdom, the Bundesarchiv Militärarchiv in Freiburg, the
Bundesarchiv Reich at Lichterfelde and the Politisches Archiv of the Aus-
wärtiges Amt in Berlin, and the library of the Militärgeschichtliches Forsc-
hungsamt in Potsdam.
Craig Stockings: For me, as always, the most important factor in the comple-
tion of this book has been the unremitting support of my family. My wife,