WORLD WAR II GREECE

The occupation of Greece by the Axis Powers began in April 1941 after Nazi Germany invaded Greece to assist its ally, Fascist Italy, which had been at war with Allied Greece since October 1940. Following the conquest of Crete, all of Greece was occupied by June 1941.  Greece was divided between Germany, Italy and Bulgaria, with Germany occupying the most strategic areas including Athens.  The occupation ruined the Greek economy and brought about terrible hardships for the Greek civilian population.  Much of Greece was subjected to enormous destruction of its industry (80% of which was destroyed), infrastructure (28% destroyed), ports, roads, railways and bridges (90%), forests, other natural resources and loss of civilian life in the tens of thousands.