Crete as a surviving Greek national redoubt

The naval-base proposal also supplies political and military depth if the mainland falls. Greek naval and army forces withdrawing to a fortified Crete could continue operating instead of dispersing entirely into exile. Retaining a free Greek government on Greek soil would deny the Axis an uncomplicated claim to have conquered the whole country. It would also give Allied naval activity a locally supported base, although the island's increased strategic value would demand a more competent defence than the historical one.