NEW YORK – The Cretans of New York commemorated the 76th anniversary of the Battle of Crete on May 21. The event was organized by the Joint Educational and Cultural Committee of the Cretan Clubs of New York in the Cretan House in Astoria and was one of the most successful and well-attended in recent years.
The President of the Cretan Association “Omonia” Panagiotis Rodamis attributed the success of the event to the tireless efforts of the organizing committee and its president Dimitra Vlachou-Lintzeris and the selection of the keynote speaker for the event. “Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Michelakis is the director of the Military Museum of Rethymno and through the slides and the video he gave a unique and compelling presentation on the Battle of Crete and its effect on the Second World War,” said Rodamis.
Lieutenant Colonel Emmanuel Michelakis made special reference to the role of the Greek-American community in World War I and World War II. The event began with the placing of a wreath on the cenotaph and the singing of the National Anthems of the US and Greece. Immediately afterwards, the President of the Cretan Association “Omonia” Panagiotis Rodamis and the president of the Joint Educational and Cultural Committee of the Cretan Clubs of New York Dimitra Vlachou-Lintzeris offered their greetings.
Lintzeris presented the keynote speaker, who donated to the organizers a DVD on the Battle of Crete and copies of the book The History of the Battle of Crete.
The Consul of Greece in New York, Manos Koubarakis, also present at the event, referred to the timeless messages of the Battle of Crete and congratulated the Cretans and the Associations for their dedication to preserving traditions, ethics, and customs.
Rodamis spoke to the National Herald about the success of the event and noted that it is a very good omen for the upcoming events of 2017 which will culminate with the celebration of the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the Association.
Asked about the upcoming events, he pointed out that on June 18, Father’s Day, they are planning their summer outing.
The Battle of Crete, May 20-June 1, 1941, was one of the most significant, if subsequently underreported battles of World War II. This last battle for the defense of Greece against the Nazis was critical in leading to the ultimate defeat of Hitler. This battle also emphasized the sacrifice, through selfless bravery, that the people of Crete were willing to pay to defend their freedom.
The impact of the Battle of Crete was going to be devastating for the Nazi war effort. Indeed, it may be argued that it was a very shallow victory. Over 5,500 Germans were killed and the overall casualties they suffered were over 25% of the forces they committed. Of these, 4,600 were re-buried at the German War Cemetery on Hill 107 above the Maleme airstrip. This was the highest percentage casualties suffered by the German Army in a single action up to that point in the war.
Psychologically it was a Nazi defeat: The Germans who fought in Crete or were engaged in its planning were totally demoralized. They were instructed by their superiors not to discuss the battle with other units in the future.
Many historians believe the Battle of Crete, along with the earlier campaign against Greece and Yugoslavia, contributed to a 4-6 week delay of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. This delay was to prove fatal in not achieving German objectives before the winter set in. This position is supported by information obtained by the captured German Naval War diaries, as well as the testimony of German Generals Frederick Palus, Gerd Von Rundstedt, and Alfred Jodl.
Among the books on the Battle of Crete is The Battle for Heraklion, Crete 1941: The Campaign Revealed through Allied and Axis Accounts by Yannis Prekatsounakis, a native of Heraklion and graduate of the Hellenic Naval Academy. In 2015, he was appointed to HS Degiannis as Commanding Officer. The book and many others on the Battle of Crete are available online.
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