I think I recall the Germans had plans to take Cyprus and Malta as well in the next phase so this was just part of the bigger plan and Crete the beginning. However Hitler was totally frightened of the losses in Crete and said they´d never be used again.

One cannot deny though that after having "created" the troops Kurt Student probably was pushing to get to show how effective they were?


http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/GERstudent.htm

"Student was involved with Hitler in planning Operation Sealion but eventually plans to drop parachute units in England and Northern Ireland were abandoned. So also were plans to carry out an airborne invasion of Gibraltar after General Francisco Franco refused to allow support troops to go across Spain."

A bit in the same line with Arnhem....?

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