In the Mediterranean... The German attack on Crete begins. There are airborne landings by forces of the 7th Paratroop Division from German 11th Air Corps. General Student is in command and has 5th Mountain Division in reserve. There is massive air support from German 8th Air Corps which has over 400 bombers and 200 fighters. Altogether the Germans employ 23,000 troops. The garrison consists mostly of troops recently evacuated from Greece. There are 32,000 British and Commonwealth troops and about 10,000 Greeks. General Freyberg is in command. The attack begins with heavy air raids and these are followed by airborne landings at Maleme and Canea. In the afternoon there are further landings at Retimo and Heraklion. The battle for the island depends on control of the airfields and the German attacks concentrate on these. At Retimo and Heraklion the defending forces are successful; at Canea the German forces retreat inland. At Maleme the fighting is very fierce, though inconclusive. However, during the night of the May 20-21st the New Zealand battalion holding the airfield withdraws, leaving the airfield in German control. The British Mediterranean Fleet is cruising off the island to prevent any German force arriving by sea.

In the North Atlantic... The Bismark and Prinz Eugen are reported in the Kattegat. The information reaches London with the cooperation of Intelligence officers of the Swedish navy. Meanwhile, the US merchant ship Robin Moor is sunk by a German U-boat.