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German invasion of Yugoslavia

Invasion of Yugoslavia
Part of the Balkans Campaign of World War II
Invasion of Yugoslavia lines of attack Why We Fight no. 5.jpg
Illustration of the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia from the Why We Fight series
Date 6–18 April 1941
Location Yugoslavia
Result

Axis victory

Belligerents
Axis Powers:
 Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Strength
Germany:
337,096
875 tanks
990 aircraft
Italy:
22 divisions
666 aircraft
Hungary:
9 brigades
6 air squadrons
700,000 (400,000 of which were poorly trained)
110–200 tanks (50–54 of which were modern)
460–505 aircraft (including 103 modern bombers and 107 modern fighter aircraft)
Casualties and losses
Germany:
151 killed
392 wounded
15 missing
40 aircraft shot down
Italy:
3,324 killed or wounded
10+ aircraft shot down, 22 damaged.
Hungary:
120 killed
223 wounded
13 missing
7 aircraft shot down
Thousands of civilians and soldiers killed
254,000–345,000 captured by Germans, 30,000 by Italians
49 aircraft shot down, 103 pilots and aircrew killed
210–300 aircraft captured
3 destroyers and 3 submarines captured

Axis victory

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 the Yugoslav coup d'état.

The invasion commenced with an overwhelming air attack on Belgrade and facilities of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force (VVKJ) by the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) and attacks by German land forces from southwestern Bulgaria. These attacks were followed by German thrusts from Romania, Hungary and the Ostmark. Italian forces were limited to air and artillery attacks until 11 April, when the Italian army attacked towards Ljubljana (in modern-day Slovenia) and through Istria and Lika and down the Dalmatian coast. On the same day, Hungarian forces entered Yugoslav Bačka and Baranya, but like the Italians they faced practically no resistance. A Yugoslav attack into the northern parts of the Italian protectorate of Albania met with initial success, but was inconsequential due to the collapse of the rest of the Yugoslav forces.


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