German invasion of Yugoslavia in 1941

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“He who remains / in his trenches / will be beaten” / by Napoleon Bonaparte INTRODUCTION The invasion of Yugoslavia /was a part of the German Balkan Campaign, / which / also known as / the “April War” / or “Operation 25”. / It was a German-led attack /on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia / by the Axis powers. / This invention began on / 6 April 1941./ The order for the invasion was / put forward in / "Führer Directive No. 25", / which Adolf Hitler / issued on 27 March 1941./ The German-led Axis powers / conquered / Yugoslavia quickly / and with amazingly light rate of casualties, / Yugoslavia was / subsequently / divided among the Axis powers. BACKGROUND Following an agreement /with Hungary, / Romania / and Bulgaria /Adolf Hitler / put pressure on Yugoslavia / to join the Axis powers (Tripartite Pact)./ TheRegent, / Prince Paul of Yugoslavia, / succumbed to this pressure / on 25 March 1941. / However, / this move was / deeply / unpopular among the / anti-Axis Serbian public / and the military forces. / A coup d'état launched /on 27 March 1941 / by anti-Axis / Serbian military Officers, / and the Regent / was over thronged / by King Peter II./ Upon hearing news / about the coup in Yugoslavia, / Hitler called his military advisers / to Berlin / on 27 March. / Hitler took / thecoup as / a personal insult / and was so angry./ Hedecidedto take vengeance / by invading the kingdom. THE INVASION This campaign / executed in two phases. /The first one /was the decisive / overpowering of the Yugoslav defences / from 6 to 10 April. / The second / was the capture / of vital territories / and the surrender / the Yugoslav Armed forces. The invasion started / on 6 April 1941 / with Operation Punishment, / a massive Strategic air attack / on the city of / Belgrade / that decimated / the government / and crippled / the Yugoslav Army headquarters / and its ability to control the field armies./ In addition, / the Luftwaffelaunched / a counter air offensive campaign / against the Yugoslav Air Force, / Belgrade city / was subjected to a rain of bombs / for almost one and a half hours. / The German bombers / directed their main effort / against the center of the city. / This blow / virtually destroyed / all means of communication / between the Yugoslav high command / an

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