Balkans campaign (World War II)

Quick Facts: Who was Balkans campaign (World War II)?

Subject:

Balkans campaign (World War II)

Known for:

Axis military operations that conquered Greece and Yugoslavia in 1940-1941 during WWII.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Balkans campaign of World War II began with the Italian invasion of Greece on 28 October 1940. In the early months of 1941, Italy's offensive had stalled and a Greek counter-offensive pushed into Albania. Germany sought to aid Italy by deploying troops to Romania and Bulgaria and attacking Greece from the east. Meanwhile, the British landed troops and aircraft to shore up Greek defences. A coup d'état in Yugoslavia on 27 March caused Adolf Hitler to order the conquest of that country.

Career & Major Achievements

The invasion of Yugoslavia by Germany and Italy began on 6 April 1941, simultaneously with the renewed invasion of Greece; on 11 April, Hungary joined the invasion of Yugoslavia. By 17 April the Yugoslavs had signed an armistice, and by 30 April all of mainland Greece was under German or Italian control. On 20 May Germany invaded Crete by air, and by 1 June all remaining Greek and British forces on the island had surrendered. Although it had not participated in the attacks in April, Bulgaria occupied parts of both Yugoslavia and Greece shortly thereafter for the remainder of the war in the Balkans. After World War I, with the complete collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Albanians looked to the Kingdom of Italy for protection against its traditional enemies.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

In 1919, Albania's territorial integrity was confirmed at the Paris Peace Conference after United States President Woodrow Wilson opposed a plan by the European powers to divide Albania amongst its neighbors. However, after 1925, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini sought to dominate Albania. In 1928, Albania became a kingdom under Zog I, who was a clan chief and former Prime Minister. Zog failed to stave off Italian ascendancy in Albanian internal affairs. On 7 April 1939, Italian troops invaded Albania, overthrew Zog, and annexed the country to the Italian Empire.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1919: 1919 Milestone — In 1919, Albania's territorial integrity was confirmed at the Paris Peace Conference after United States President Woodrow Wilson opposed a plan by the European powers to divide Albania amongst its neighbors.
2. 1925: 1925 Milestone — However, after 1925, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini sought to dominate Albania.
3. 1928: 1928 Milestone — In 1928, Albania became a kingdom under Zog I, who was a clan chief and former Prime Minister.
4. 1939: 1939 Milestone — On 7 April 1939, Italian troops invaded Albania, overthrew Zog, and annexed the country to the Italian Empire.
5. 1940: 1940 Milestone — The Balkans campaign of World War II began with the Italian invasion of Greece on 28 October 1940.
6. 1941: 1941 Milestone — In the early months of 1941, Italy's offensive had stalled and a Greek counter-offensive pushed into Albania.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Balkans campaign (World War II)

True or False: “The initial invasion of Greece by Italy began on the same day that Germany invaded Yugoslavia.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Italy's invasion of Greece started on October 28, 1940, while the German invasion of Yugoslavia commenced later on April 6, 1941.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abbas Kiarostami — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Master Iranian filmmaker known for blending fiction and documentary styles.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Historical peer (Born in 1940) (1940): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Adam Kuper — Historical peer (Born in 1941) (1941): Influential British social anthropologist known for research in Southern Africa.
• Adnan Khayr Allah — Historical peer (Born in 1941) (1941): Iraqi military officer and Minister of Defense, closely associated with the Ba'ath regime.
• Adelina Patti — Historical peer (Died in 1919) (1919): Legendary Spanish-Italian soprano renowned for her bel canto technique and lyrical voice.
• Ahmed Abdallah — Historical peer (Born in 1919) (1919): Comorian politician who served as President of the Comoros from 1978 to 1989.
• Albert Bandura — Historical peer (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering psychologist known for Social Cognitive Theory and self-efficacy.
• Alexander Shulgin — Historical peer (Born in 1925) (1925): Pioneering biochemist known for synthesizing and exploring over 200 psychoactive compounds.
• Adam West — Historical peer (Born in 1928) (1928): American actor best known for portraying Batman in the 1960s and extensive voice work.
• Adrian Frutiger — Historical peer (Born in 1928) (1928): Pioneering Swiss typeface designer, master of sans-serif aesthetics.

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