Atlas of Battles

battle, interwar and Second World War

Battle of Heraklion

Battle of Heraklion was a battle fought on 20 May 1941 at Chania, in what is now Greece. It was part of World War II, which ran from 1939 to 1945. The recorded result: German victory.

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A stick of German paratroopers exiting from a Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft over the town of Heraklion during the German airborne assault on the north coast of Crete. The large smoke plume (centre)
A stick of German paratroopers exiting from a Junkers Ju 52 transport aircraft over the town of Heraklion during the German airborne assault on the north coast of Crete. The large smoke plume (centre). Australian armed forces, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
Fought20 May 1941
WhereChania, Greece35.336N, 25.139E
OutcomeGerman victory
Part ofWorld War II1939 to 1945

Where it sits in World War II

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313 placed engagements of World War II in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date20 May 1941
PlaceChania, Greece
35.336N, 25.139E
KindBattle, interwar and Second World War
Battle of HeraklionBattle of HeraklionSiege of ChandaxSiege of CandiaBattle of TrahiliBattle of RethymnoSiege of SoudaBattle of TrahiliBattle of RethymnoSiege of SoudaSitia100 km35.336N, 25.139E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

Contested ground: this site was fought over 3 times between AD 960 and 1941.

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1941

Battle of Heraklion is one of 2,997 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 493 in present-day Greece.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q4871210, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Heraklion, revision 1378293527, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.