Army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
| Royal Yugoslav Army | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1918–41 |
| Country |
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| Branch | Land forces |
| Type | Army |
| Engagements |
Austro-Slovene conflict in Carinthia World War II Invasion of Yugoslavia |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
|
The Royal Yugoslav Army (Serbo-Croatian: Jugoslavenska vojska, Југословенска војска) or Army of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was the armed force of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia) from the state's formation in December 1918 until its surrender to the Axis powers on 17 April 1941. Aside from fighting along the Austrian border in 1919–20 related to territorial disputes, and some border skirmishes on its southern borders in the 1920s, the VKJ was not involved in fighting until April 1941 when it was quickly overcome by the German-led invasion of Yugoslavia.
Shortly before the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia, the army staged a coup against the Yugoslav monarchy on 26 March. Beyond the problems of inadequate equipment and incomplete mobilization, the Royal Yugoslav Army suffered badly from the Serbo-Croat schism in Yugoslav politics. "Yugoslav" resistance to the invasion collapsed overnight. The main reason was that neither of the subordinate national groups (Slovenes and Croats) were prepared to fight in defence of a Serbian Yugoslavia. The only effective opposition to the invasion was from wholly Serbian units within the borders of Serbia itself. In its worst expression, Yugoslavia's defenses were badly compromised on 10 April 1941, when some of the units in the Croatian-manned 4th and 7th Armies mutinied, and a newly formed Croatian government hailed the entry of the Germans into Zagreb the same day. The Serbian General Staff were united on the question of Yugoslavia as a "Greater Serbia", ruled, in one way or another, by Serbia.
During the occupation of Yugoslavia, the Chetniks of Draža Mihailović were referred to as the "Yugoslav Army in the Homeland". The Royal Yugoslav Army was formally disbanded on 7 March 1945 when Yugoslav government-in-exile appointed by King Peter II of Yugoslavia was abolished.
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