{"product_id":"the-eagles-over-crete","title":"Eagles Over Crete – WW2 Battle of Crete Military History Ebook","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMay 1941. The Germans own the skies. Crete is about to become the battlefield for the most audacious airborne invasion in history.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter the disastrous Allied retreat from mainland Greece, thousands of exhausted British, Australian, New Zealand and Greek troops arrive on Crete.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere is nowhere left to retreat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcross the Mediterranean, German General \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eKurt Student\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e prepares \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOperation Mercury\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e—a revolutionary plan to seize the island using elite Fallschirmjäger dropped from the sky.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAt the centre of everything stands \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaleme Airfield\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf the Allies hold it, the German invasion could be destroyed.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIf Maleme falls, Crete may fall with it.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFormer Greek Army officer \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCaptain Manolis Petrakis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e has already fought the German war machine on the mainland. Now he watches the skies above his homeland, knowing that the enemy will soon come.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn Chania, schoolteacher \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eEleni Markakis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e quietly assists Allied intelligence, translating intercepted messages and uncovering signs of the approaching airborne assault.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNear Maleme, young Cretan shepherd \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNikos Vardinogiannis\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e knows every olive grove, river crossing and hidden path around the airfield. He has never considered himself a soldier.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar will give him little choice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd among the German Fallschirmjäger preparing to descend upon the island are men who will soon discover that Crete is unlike any battlefield they have encountered before.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eOn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e20 May 1941\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, the sky opens.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eHundreds of aircraft roar across the coast. Gliders sweep towards their landing zones. Thousands of German paratroopers descend into murderous defensive fire as New Zealand troops, Greek soldiers and armed Cretan civilians fight among the olive groves, villages and hills.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat follows is a savage struggle for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eMaleme, Hill 107, Chania and ultimately the island itself\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eBut \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Eagles Over Crete\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is more than the story of armies and generals.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIt is the story of ordinary people caught inside an extraordinary battle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA teacher who becomes part of the intelligence war.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA shepherd forced to defend his home.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Greek officer determined that his island will fight.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAllied soldiers who have already survived one disastrous retreat.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd German paratroopers discovering that victory may demand a price none of them expected.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrom the first men falling from the sky to the bloody struggle for Maleme, the retreat towards \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSfakia\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and the beginnings of occupation and resistance, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Eagles Over Crete\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e brings one of the Second World War's most dramatic campaigns to life through soldiers and civilians on both sides of the battle.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eTHE EAGLES OVER CRETE\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e is a sweeping historical military adventure of airborne warfare, courage, sacrifice, survival and resistance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePerfect for readers who enjoy \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSecond World War historical fiction, the Battle of Crete, airborne warfare, Fallschirmjäger, Commonwealth military history, Greek resistance stories and fact-inspired military adventure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThey came from the sky expecting victory. Crete would make them pay for every mile.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Swan Military Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58585855590744,"sku":null,"price":1.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1016\/8693\/5896\/files\/TheEaglesOverCreteImage.png?v=1790600626","url":"https:\/\/swanmilitarybooks.myshopify.com\/products\/the-eagles-over-crete","provider":"Swan Military Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}