Germany · Warfare / World War, 2nd. Chronological records rendered directly from the World History Database.
The Fuhrer orders his Army General Staff to prepare for an invasion of Northern Greece via Romania and Bulgaria. Hitler's plans for this campaign are incorporated into a master plan aimed at depriving the British of their Mediterranean bases. Hitler intervened on November 4, 1940, four days after the British took both Crete and Lemnos
The German Armed Forces High Command issued Directive No. 18, in which they scheduled simultaneous operations against Gibraltar and Greece for the following January. Hitler issues directive 18 for Operation Marita, the invasion of Greece
The Armed Forces High Command issued Directive No. 20 on December 13, 1940, the document outlines the Greek campaign under the code designation, "Operation Marita". Orders 24 divisions to assemble in Rumania & advance on Greece through Bulgaria
Negotiations begin for passage through Bulgaria to reach Greece & Russia
Signs an agreement with Bulgaria allowing German passage to invade Greece
The German & Italian Armies take up their positions for the invasion of Yugoslavia & Greece. After the unexpected March 27 coup against the Yugoslav Government, orders for the future campaign in Yugoslavia are drafted, as well as changes to the plan for the attack on Greece
Begins the invasion of Greece
The C-in-C of Luftflotte Four, Generaloberst Alexander Lehr receives orders from Hermann Goering to wind down the air-offensive and transfer the bulk of the dive-bomber force to support the campaign in Greece
The C-in-C of Luftflotte Four, Generaloberst Alexander Lehr receives orders from Hermann Goering to wind down the air-offensive and transfer the bulk of the dive-bomber force to support the campaign in Greece
The Northern Greek armies surrender to the Germans
The Germans march into Athens & hoist the swastika over the Acropolis
Germany occupies Yugoslavia and Greece
Kleist commands 1st Panzergruppe, comprising XVIII and XL Panzer Corps, which spearheads the Blitzkrieg-style invasions of Yugoslavia and Greece
Commands the invasion of Greece & secures a passage through Bulgaria
This factsheet is generated from stored World History Database records matching the country, broad category, detailed category and exact Event value shown above. Duplicate display records are collapsed; database wording is otherwise preserved. Source provenance varies by record, so formal academic citation should be checked against the relevant primary source, archive or specialist historical reference.