May 20, 1941, marked the start of one of the most epic battles of World War II — the Battle of Crete.

All around the island, natives awoke to the sound of thundering airplanes — hundreds of them — and “umbrella men” falling from the sky.

It was the beginning of the Nazi Germans’ Operation Mercury, which entailed the first-ever airborne invasion of an island fortress.

Waiting for the invading Germans were thousands of Australian, New Zealand and British troops who had fled from the Greek mainland when it was overtaken by the Axis.

But most importantly, there was a restless Cretan population that would fight to the death to defend its land.

The Battle of Crete isn’t covered in most American history books. But the truth is, this battle changed the course of the war and all of world history.

Janson Media, an independent production and distribution company based in the United States, has created a documentary which chronicles day-by-day accounts from the battle.

See the full documentary below.

The Battle of Crete Documentary