Kandanos massacre
The village of Kandanos in Western Crete, Greece, was completely destroyed and about 180 of its inhabitants killed on 3 June 1941 by German occupying forces during World War II. It was ordered by Generaloberst Kurt Student in reprisal for the participation of the local population in the Battle of Crete that had held advancing German soldiers for two days. The destruction constituted one of the most atrocious war crimes committed during the occupation of Crete by Axis forces in World War II. == Background == === Local resistance === The Battle of Crete began on 20 May 1941 with a large-scale airborne invasion planned to capture the island's strategic locations.