SAE U.S.A - World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SAE)

“How different the flow of history would have been if a year earlier the peoples of the West had demonstrated the same courage as the Cretans did when the Germans attacked their villages.”

                                                                                                British historian Ian Clark

“The Battle of Crete was the most thrilling event of World War II and the apotheosis of human heroism.”

                                                                                                London Times

The Battle and the National Resistance of Crete constitute a benchmark in Greek and world history.  The resistance of Cretans against the much greater multitude of Germans during World War II changed the anticipated course of history.

            The Cretan soul gave the Allies the opportunity to restructure their forces and to change the direction of the war.

            Cretans paid a high price in lost lives. However, heroism, courage and the transcending Cretan spirit are kept high as the resistance model against every act aiming to destroy liberty and justice.

            The epic resistance and self-sacrifice demonstrated by Cretans against the invading Germans in May 1941 are the natural evolution on the long list of heroic acts since the beginning of Cretan history.

            On our part, as a miniscule expression of honor paid to the memory of those Cretan agonistes, we must teach the coming generations about the glorious pages of our history that tell the story of Crete.

Theodore G. Spyropoulos