World War II in the Balkans

Balkans in World War II
Part of the Mediterranean and Middle East and European theatre of World War II
Map of the invasion of Yugoslavia
Date 1940 — 8 May 1945 Location Balkans Result 1940–1941: Axis victory 1944–1945: Allied victory
Belligerents
1940-1941 United Kingdom Australia New Zealand Greece Yugoslavia	1940-1941 Italy Albania Germany Hungary
1944-1945 Soviet Union DF Yugoslavia Greek partisans Albania Former Axis Powers Romania (from August 1944) Bulgaria (from September 1944) Hungary (Debrecen government) (from December 1944) Support: United Kingdom Balkan Air Force SOE United States	1944-1945 Germany Hungary Romania (until August 1944) Bulgaria (until September 1944) Axis puppet states Croatia Albania (until November 1944) Hungary (Axis government) (from October 1944) Greece (until October 1944) Chetniks Balli Kombëtar
Commanders and leaders
Winston Churchill George II Peter II Josip Broz Tito Enver Hoxha Joseph Stalin	Adolf Hitler  † Benito Mussolini   Miklós Horthy

The Balkan region in World War II had many nations involved including Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and other countries on both the Allied and Axis sides.

History

1940-1941

Main articles: Greco-Italian War and Invasion of Yugoslavia

Greece was invaded by Italy in October of 1940, but the Greeks counterattacked, and pushed through Albania. Not long after, in November, Hungary and Romania joined the Axis. Bulgaria joined in March.

Yugoslavia joined the Axis in March of 1941, but left after a coup, so Yugoslavia was invaded by the axis powers. Both fell to the invasion shortly after, and resistance was formed.

1944-1945

The Soviets invaded Romanian territory in March 1944, and in August, Romania capitulated. And then Bulgaria did in September. The Soviets helped the Yugoslav Partisans liberate Yugoslavia, and the British landed in Greece to liberate the country. In November, Albanian partisans liberated Albania, and set up a provisional government. Soviet forces also invaded Hungary. At this point, Hungary wanted to join the war against Germany, but a pro-axis coup (Operation Panzerfaust) removed Miklós Horthy (regent of Hungary) from power. And a puppet government was established. The fighting caught up to the Hungarian capital city, Budapest, and the Soviets encircled the city and a few months later, Budapest was under control of the Soviet Union.

In March, the Yugoslavs formed a Provisional Government. In April, the Soviets and Partisans launched a final offensive into Axis territory. Sarajevo was liberated on the 6th, and the Soviets entered Austria and entered Vienna. On the 8th of May, Germany officially surrendered.