German Paratroopers Invade Crete

From May 20 to June 1, 1941, German paratroopers engaged Allied forces on the island of Crete in Operation Mercury. The operation was the first majority-airborne invasion in military history, and it inspired Allied forces to create their own airborne divisions. Hitler took the opposite approach and avoided further large airborne operations, owing to the heavy casualties suffered by the German paratroopers.