Nkhondo ya ku Krete

Nkhondo ya ku Krete (Chijeremani: Luftlandeschlacht um Kreta, komanso Unternehmen Merkur, "Operation Mercury", Greek: Μάχη της Κρήτης) inamenyedwa panthawi ya nkhondo yachiwiri yapadziko lonse pachilumba cha Greece cha Krete. Zinayamba m’maŵa wa pa 20 May 1941, pamene chipani cha Nazi Germany chinayamba kuukira Krete ndi ndege. Agiriki ndi magulu ena ankhondo a Allied, pamodzi ndi anthu wamba a ku Kerete, anateteza chisumbucho. Pambuyo pa nkhondo ya tsiku limodzi, Ajeremani anavulazidwa kwambiri ndipo asilikali a Allied anali otsimikiza kuti agonjetsa nkhondoyo. Tsiku lotsatira, chifukwa cha kulephera kwa kuyankhulana, kukayikira kwa Allied tactical, ndi ntchito zonyansa za ku Germany, Maleme Airfield kumadzulo kwa Crete inagwa, zomwe zinapangitsa Ajeremani kuti azitha kulimbitsa dziko ndikugonjetsa malo otetezera kumpoto kwa chilumbachi. Asilikali ogwirizana adabwerera kugombe lakumwera. Oposa theka adasamutsidwa ndi British Royal Navy ndipo otsalawo adagonja kapena adalowa nawo ku Krete. Chitetezo cha Krete chinasintha kukhala mgwirizano wamtengo wapatali wa panyanja; pofika kumapeto kwa ndawala mphamvu ya Royal Navy kum'mawa kwa Mediterranean inali itachepetsedwa kukhala zombo ziwiri zokha zankhondo ndi atatu apanyanja.

Nkhondo ya ku Krete inali nthawi yoyamba yomwe Fallschirmjäger (ankhondo aku Germany) adagwiritsidwa ntchito mochuluka, kuukira koyamba kwandege m'mbiri yankhondo, nthawi yoyamba yomwe Allies adagwiritsa ntchito kwambiri luntha kuchokera ku mauthenga obisika a Germany kuchokera ku makina a Enigma, komanso koyamba. Pa nthawiyi, asilikali a Germany analimbana ndi anthu wamba. Chifukwa cha kuchuluka kwa ovulala komanso chikhulupiliro choti magulu ankhondo a ndege sakhalanso ndi mwayi wodabwitsa, Adolf Hitler sanafune kuvomera kuti achitenso ntchito zazikulu zandege, m'malo mwake kugwiritsa ntchito ma paratroopers ngati asitikali apansi. Mosiyana ndi zimenezi, Allies anachita chidwi ndi kuthekera kwa paratroopers ndipo anayamba kupanga airborne-assault ndi airfield-defence regiments.