The German Invasion of Yugoslavia 1941

Description

Изображения: цветные и черно-белые фото, цветные рисункиBefore discussing Operation 25, the April 1941 Axis invasion of Yugoslavia—the April War—we must first briefly examine the geography of the Balkans. The Balkans—southeast Europe—the Balkans Peninsula named after the Balkan Mountains running through central Bulgaria, encompass Yugoslavia, Greece, Romania, Albania, and the small piece of European Turkey with Istanbul. Yugoslavia with almost 99,000 square miles (158,944km:) was the largest of the countries with Romania the second largest followed by Greece, Bulgaria, and Albania. In 1941 Yugoslavia was surrounded by enemies. The rugged length of its west coast faced the Adriatic Sea controlled by the Italian Navy. A small stretch of Yugoslavias northwest corner bordered Italys Trieste region. Its northern border was faced by Germany (previously Austria) and further east, the Germans ally, Hungary. On its eastern border was Romania and to that countrys south was Bulgaria, both which had sided with Germany. The southern border faced Greece and thrusting into Yugoslavias southeast corner on the Adriatic was Italian-controlled Albania.