Lorković-Vokić coup

Lorković–Vokić plot (Croatian: Urota Lorković-Vokić) was an attempt initiated by the Minister of Interior, Mladen Lorković and Minister of Armed Forces, Ante Vokić, to form a coalition government with the Croatian Peasant Party (HSS), abandon the Axis powers and align the Independent State of Croatia with the Allies with help of the Croatian Home Guard. The plan originated from the HSS which was also involved in the negotiations with the Allies. The plot ended with massive arrests and the execution of major plotters, including Lorković and Vokić.

On 24 August 1942, the Germans launched an attack on Stalingrad. The battle of Stalingrad ended in German defeat on 2 February 1943. After this victory, the war turned in the Soviets' favour. The Allied invasion of Sicily was launched on 9 July 1943, and not long after, Benito Mussolini was overthrown and arrested on 25 July. On the same day, Italian king Victor Emmanuel, named Pietro Badoglio as Italy's new Prime Minister and on 8 September 1943, he signed the unconditional capitulation of Italy. On 6 June 1944 the Allies launched carried out the D-Day landings on the German-occupied coast of Normandy.

Because of defeats that Axis forces suffered from Allied armies, some Axis nations tried to change sides. On 23 August 1944, as the Red Army approached Romania, Romanian King Michael staged a coup and joined the Allies, after which Romania was split into two parts: one supporting King Michael and the other still supporting the Germans and Romanian fascist leader Ion Antonescu.

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