The Axis Empire in Southeast Europe 1939-1945

by Jean, W. Sedlar

This book presents a comprehensive overview of the German-Italian occupation and internal conflict during World War II in a portion of Europe--Yugoslavia, Greece, Albania, Romania, and Bulgaria--that has often languished on the periphery of European history. Initially, Hitler had hoped for access to the region's natural resources without resort to war. Unexpectedly, Mussolini's unsuccessful invasion of Greece in 1940 drew the German dictator into the Balkans and widened the scope of the conflict. The German invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece in 1941 led to bitter guerrilla fighting, tying down Axis troops that otherwise could usefully have been employed elsewhere. Hitler treated the various regions of Southeast Europe very unequally in accordance with perceived German political goals as well as his own prejudices. The Serbs he regarded as Germany's mortal enemies, but viewed the Croats as sympathetic to Germany and permitted the formation of a quasi-independent Croatian state. Romania he handled with great care, owing to her all-important oil reserves and the large contribution of the Romanian army to the Axis campaign in the East. The military occupation of Southeast Europe became a joint project involving Germany as the dominant power with assistance from three of his Italy, Hungary, and Bulgaria. All three took measures aimed at permanent possession of the occupied territories. Mussolini wished to annex large parts of Yugoslavia and Greece in addition to Albania, which he had conquered in 1939. The Hungarians hoped to retrieve those parts of Yugoslavia they had possessed until 1918, while the Bulgarians longed for Macedonia and parts of northern Greece that had once been part of a medieval Bulgarian empire. Serbia suffered under direct German military control. Until the arrival of the Red Army, Romania and Bulgaria retained their own native governments, though under heavy German influence. Axis control of Southeast Europe was never complete, since the rugged terrain of Yugoslavia, Greece, and Albania provided favorable conditions for the growth of guerrilla warfare. For nearly four years, Communist and anti-Communist partisans fought not only the Axis enemy, but also each other, with the aim of eliminating competitors for power after the war. Although the guerrillas were too weak by themselves to expel the occupying armies, their struggle subsequently became a heroic legend. When Italy left the war in 1943, German troops took their place. Ultimately, military setbacks in the USSR and France forced the Germans to evacuate Southeast Europe. Romania and Bulgaria were overrun by Soviet troops in late 1944, while Communist-led insurgents took control of Yugoslavia and Albania. Owing to British intervention after the Germans departed, Greece remained as the only country in Southeast Europe to escape Communist control after the war.

384 pages, Hardcover

First published March 30, 2007