Invasion of Yugoslavia

Overview

The invasion of Yugoslavia, also known as the April War or Operation 25, was a German-led attack on the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Axis powers which began on 6 April 1941 during World War II. The order for the invasion was put forward in "Führer Directive No. 25", which Adolf Hitler issued on 27 March 1941, following a Yugoslav coup d'état that overthrew the pro-Axis government.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The invasion of Yugoslavia, launched on 6 April 1941 under Führer Directive No. 25, resulted from a Yugoslav coup d'état that had overthrown the pro-Axis government, prompting Hitler to order the attack. Despite Yugoslavia fielding a substantially larger force of approximately 700,000 troops against an Axis force of roughly 337,096, Yugoslav casualties reached between 254,000 and 345,000 against Axis losses of around 2,500, reflecting the speed and decisiveness of the Axis operation. The campaign removed Yugoslavia as a potential obstacle on the Axis southeastern flank, securing the Balkan theater ahead of subsequent German operations. The invasion drew in multiple Axis partners alongside German forces, illustrating the coalition character of Axis military coordination in the region during the early phase of the wider European war.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (14)