The Axis Invasion of Yugoslavia (1941) - The Battle of Yugoslavia

The German invasion of Yugoslavia took place in April 1941 and is also known as Operation Punishment or the April War. Also the Italians and Hungarians took part in the Battle of Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia initially joined the Triparte Pact but shortly after a military coup took place. Hitler vowed to destroy Yugoslavia and on 6 April the Yugoslav campaign started. The Battle for Yugoslavia (1941) was be concluded in twelve days. On 10 April 1941 the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) was proclaimed. After the German take-over Yugoslavia was partitioned by the Germans, Italians, Hungarians and Bulgarians.
History Hustle presents: The Axis Invasion of Yugoslavia (1941) - The Battle of Yugoslavia.
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SOURCES
- Hitler's New Disorder. The Second World War in Yugoslavia (Stevan K. Pavlowitch).
- Death of the Wehrmacht. The German Campaigns of 1942 (Robert M. Citino).
IMAGES
Images from commons.wikimedia.org.
VIDEO
Video material from:
Vežbe inženjerijske jedinice Jugoslovenske vojske kod Čukarice, 1940
• Vežbe inženjerijske je...
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MUSIC
"Clenched Teeth" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Division" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Devastation and Revenge" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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"Evil March" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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“Crossing the Chasm” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
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[@HistoryHustle]

More forgotten WW2 battles in THIS PLAYLIST: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jXvUl3aMpM6kmLM

[@georgedoolittle7574]

Great stuff. "World War 2 in Color: invasion of Russia" covers this exceptionally well as simply "securing the Southern Flank"(but most importantly taking Greece then Crete to create a bass from which the German Kriegsmarine Navy could operate out of.) Most importantly this secured all of Germany's necessary Allies and resources for the now inevitable first strike upon an over-exposed and corruption led Red Army which had massed itself upon the German Frontiers in flagrant violation of the Molotov-Von Ribbentrop Pact.

[@HistoryHustle]

@@georgedoolittle7574 thank you for sharing your insights on this.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

Stefan i hope one day you and Indy Neidell of the WW1 and WW2 channel will do a special together. As both channels realy compliment each other.

[@mirkojorgovic]

Yu Kingdom hadn't chance; if UK troops made counterattack from Greece and established line against Bulgarian border but it's not possible because coup d'etat was too late.

[@GiuseppeDeRosa2001]

I like how he talks about the smaller countries that nobody talks about during WW2.

[@HistoryHustle]

Glad you like it! Thanks, Giuseppe!

[@ivanhus3852]

indeed, WWII enthusiasts know the Yugoslav front well

[@mowvu5380]

yugoslavia was not small lol. it wasn't small in size or stature. just because you've never had the knowledge, it's a lesser known former country? no filter.

[@milosav7314]

In no way was it small

[@nenadgardilcic9003]

@@ivanhus3852 Yep,but Giuseppe is definetly not one of them.

[@jeffreywacker3598]

Even as a student of WW2, pre and post, I still find your videos highly informative and entertaining. We need more teachers like you.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Jeffrey, thanks for your kind words:)

[@TraderRobin]

DITTO!!

[@rustymetal9648]

3:50 "the Yugoslav air force had just a few modern planes". Actually, the Yugoslav air arm was very modern and big for the size and economic standing of Yugoslavia. Since both the Allies and Germany wanted to win over Yugoslavia to their side, Yugoslavia could buy both modern German and British aircraft. The fighter force included 73 Me-109Es and 47 Hurricanes, the bomber fleet 69 Dornier 17s, 61 Bristol Blenheims and 42 SM 79s. None of these were regarded as obsolete in 1941.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. It's not what I read in my sources. You can find them in the discription.

[@mladentomic7249]

Plus, there was a domestic product of fighter planes, ik-2, and a prototip ik-3.

[@aleksaradojicic8114]

@@HistoryHustle Issue of Yugoslav Air Force was not quality of there planes which were largely modern, but numbers, as war plan R41 you mentioned at begging planned for much larger air force.

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

Airforce was solid. Our tanks were poor. Infantry, nah, solid. Artillery was more bad than good. The main problem was morale. It just routed.

[@mario.-_-.]

For example, the historical legends of the partisan air force are the former royal YU (and then NDH - they were Croats) pilots Franjo Kluz and Rudi Čajavec who defected to the partisans (there were many more). The morale of the royal army was weak because (among other things) those who were not for the Serbian king (mostly not Serbs or communists) did not see why they would die for that ideology (when those who advocated it withdrew).

[@anonymousphantom9644]

For the Axis, the invasion was easy and swift. But during the occupation, they faced continuous resistance from Yugoslav partisans.

[@HistoryHustle]

Exactly! Hope to cover more in the future.

[@borkokostic4388]

@@HistoryHustle After occupation , there will partisans in Yugoslavia till June 22, 1941. when USSR ordered Tito who was on head of Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ) to take uprising against Nazi Germans and their Allies. Croat Josip Broz Tito was loyal and go to Central Serbia to take uprising. KPJ is not interesting in ustashi genocide in Independent State of Croatia.

[@miloradnovakovic7981]

The first fight against the Germans was led by Colonel Dragoljub Mihajlović, the founder of the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and a representative of the royal government. The communists started their "fight for freedom" (revolution) only after the German attack on the USSR. The communist actions were disastrous for the Serbian civilian population, 100 civilians were killed for one killed German and 50 for one wounded.

[@borkokostic4388]

@@miloradnovakovic7981 Brate, samo trebao si da staviš izvor za 100:1. Stranci imaju predrasude prema Srbima.

[@modricaninmodricki7559]

@@borkokostic4388 Kako da stavi izvor kad je se Draza borio sa okupatorima na istoj strani.

[@Hunnia000]

You forgot to mention the unorthodox strategy of the Hungarian prime minister during the invasion. By commiting suicide, he managed to delay the allied declaration of war for about 600 days.

[@HistoryHustle]

Didn't forget this. Talk about that in a video about Hungary. That's not where this video is about.

[@thegamersway1835]

Wait can you explain it a bit more I don't understand?

[@tsar389]

@@thegamersway1835 basically, Prime Minister Pai Teleki had been desperately trying to keep Hungary neutral in WWII. but when he learned the Germans invaded Yugoslavia and so did the Royal Hungarian Army, he killed himself. This inadvertently avoided the allies declaring war because Winston Churchill had felt terrible about it and felt it as a sacrifice to absolve the Hungarian people of guilt.

[@thegamersway1835]

@@tsar389 aaa ty very much for explanation

[@GoogleAccount-tf6lh]

Very disappointed that this guy does not have more than a million subscribers, the quality of the videos are better than a lot of other channels

[@HistoryHustle]

Feel free to share so we can reach that goal!

[@albertmarnell9976]

@@HistoryHustle Your lessons are very good Stefan! I'm not the only one who notices!

[@TOMARAKIC]

He'll get there... 😉

[@HistoryHustle]

@@albertmarnell9976 Thanks!

[@albertmarnell9976]

@@HistoryHustle De woorden "zeer goed" zijn niet goed genoeg om uw lessen te beschrijven. Je lessen zijn fantastisch.

[@daviddoran3673]

Great to see you on location!!!! That's the real joy of military history!!!!!

[@HistoryHustle]

Great!

[@johnvanstone5336]

Another excellent video Stefan, keep them coming please 🇬🇧✌️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@HistoryHustle]

Will do John, thanks!

[@keithehredt753]

Great coverage, well done brother

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching, Keith!

[@mohamedadelabughrara1185]

I absolutely love those on location videos. Great video 👍🏻

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@ipsylon7297]

Always thumbs up! Thank you.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, Milan!

[@mikewest5529]

What a beauty spot to film on location! What will we learn next! Just let’s me have something always to look forward too!! Thanks again!!

[@HistoryHustle]

Amazing spot ey. Really liked it myself. Glad you enjoyed the episode and thanks as always, Mike!

[@evanthomas3466]

Great video and really informative as always

[@HistoryHustle]

Cheers, Evan, thanks!

[@jamesbodnarchuk3322]

Very interesting! Didn’t know to much about the invasion of the Balkans. Thanks Stephan for explaining!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, James!

[@georgekaragiannakis6637]

Thanks Stefan for another important episode of WW2. Noteworthy, the invasion of Yugoslavia was necessitated by the victory of Greece over Italy’s invasion on 28 October 1940. The inability of the Yugoslav, Greek and British militaries to agree on a common strategy meant that the sudden collapse of the Yugoslav army (11 days) opened the Monastir valley and exposed northern Greece to the panzer thrust that led to the ultimate defeat on mainland Greece. It would be good if you did a follow up episode on the Greek campaign.

[@HistoryHustle]

Hello George, hope to travel to the remnants of the Metaxas Line one day. Thanks for your reply!

[@Lawrance_of_Albania]

My grandgrandfather was yugoslav soldier in 1941. How mobilization was poor tells his story, he recived letter for mobilazation, guy had to walk for some~70km to Belgrade, witch took day and a half. Once he came in belgrade, instead of yugoslav army he was greeted by germans standing on tanks.

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting to read. Thanks for your reply.

[@jasonharryphotog]

Good video like always Many thanks

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Jason!

[@dutchman7216]

Wonderful video thank you for making it.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply!

[@dutchman7216]

Your welcome.

[@archstanton4365]

Well done, my friend. You are a very good teacher. I enjoy our shared passion for this history. Thanks.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply 👍

[@draug7966]

I like how you put the spotlight on those more or less forgotten(at least here in the west) parts of the war. D-day and operation barbarossa in all glory but there are so many books, documentaries and YT videos about them basically pumping out the same information over and over again. The more obscure battles, formations and events are just as as interesting.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you. I find these lesser known campaigns also very interesting to cover.

[@oceanhome2023]

The landscape in your background looks very inviting!

[@HistoryHustle]

Yes, thanks Ron. Was really happy with it.

[@oceanhome2023]

@@HistoryHustle What a view! It really stimulates the mind when what you are saying actually occurred where you are !

[@HistoryHustle]

It actually was a clime to get there, it was very hot and lots of mosquitos too. But I did it :D

[@MjrCarnyx]

Weer een heel tof stukje geschiedenis goed uitgelegd! Many thanks

[@HistoryHustle]

Super, dank 💪

[@zsmarine0831]

Another great video!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, Gregory!

[@mammuchan8923]

Enjoy your on location videos, and you had some really nice colour footage that I hadn’t seen before. When it’s called Operation Punishment, you know it’s going to be hectic!

[@HistoryHustle]

Yeah indeed, thanks as always for your enthiusiasm :)

[@stansfieldmcelroy]

great episode Stefan

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@tecnics4449]

Dude i have to congratulate you for this vid, is great. is not common to see channels talking about yugoslavia, ¡thanks for making this kind of vids!

[@HistoryHustle]

Nice to read, thanks!

[@ifeanyiobuaku9669]

Very informative

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@itsblitz4437]

Yugoslavian history is so interesting, Not a lot of people or historians discuss about it. I am glad you are taking the time to explain the less-than-discussed the invasion of Yugoslavia and occupation.

[@HistoryHustle]

I agree. There is much more to cover. There will be. And I have much more plans for this.

[@hastalavictoriasiempre2730]

It is interesting and it is pain, believe me. We are still in shackles of what happened last 100 years imo i don't think we are ever gonna recover from it like Germany and France did for example.

[@eleanorkett1129]

Another excellent presentation of a WWII episode which doesn’t get too much attention.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Eleanor!

[@deg6788]

Een welgemeende dankjewel voor uw harde werk.... Jij bent een superleraar!

[@HistoryHustle]

Dank voor je reactie!

[@luxembourgishempire2826]

Love ur vids!

[@HistoryHustle]

#1!

[@richardwilliams5312]

Fantastic video

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@xvsj5833]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ Thank you Stephon 👍

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@caslinden1373]

Een heel interessante video man 👍

[@HistoryHustle]

Bedankt!

[@charlesseymour1482]

Great story on unknown topic thanks.

[@HistoryHustle]

Many thanks, Charles!

[@secretagent8900]

Not unknown to me. My father fought in Yugoslavia during WW2

[@HistoryHustle]

@@secretagent8900 I understand.

[@mariyanadobreva8724]

Thank you so much for this informative video. The Axis invaded quickly Yugoslavia, but the resistance proved to be a hard candy for the occupiers. Many troops and resources could not be used against the Soviet Union, because there was much to do in the Balkans ! And the German air force bombed Belgrade on the very day of the Orthodox Easter - so considerate of the country that claimed to save Europe from the godless Bolsheviks.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply and taking the time to share your insights with us.

[@jeambeam3173]

Godless because we know god ain't real

[@mariyanadobreva8724]

@@jeambeam3173 Still, this is not a reason to bomb people on the day of Easter.

[@mosinnagant412]

Excellence video!

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@SashJ.McMishmosh]

Thank you, you always do a great job. My grandmother lived in Yugoslavia during the war. Shame what happened many people from different places living in peace prewar.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching.

[@joepalooka2145]

Excellent video on a subject that is not well known in the history of WW2. Whatever criticisms can be made of the Serbian regime at the time, one thing is certain---- the brave Serbian officers who stood up to Hitler deserve to be remembered by history. Even though there was no way the Serbs could possibly stop the German invasion, their actions turned out to be vital in Hitler's ultimate defeat. Serbian defiance caused a critical delay in the invasion of Russia by six weeks and pushed Operation Barbarossa into a winter war. As well, the quick defeat of Yugoslavia enforced Hitler's belief that he could do exactly the same to the Russians. As we know today, Hitler was sadly mistaken.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching and sharing your insights on the topic!

[@tovartovarski5522]

„Brave serbian“?😂😂🤣🤣🤣 Capitulated after less than 12 days

[@daliborw7461]

Actually, there was a strong involvement of British Special Operations Executive in the coup. Let's not get too idealistic here.

[@agrameroldoctane_66]

Joking or what?

[@generalposlijebitke6688]

@Kafa kafica Croat traitors? There must be some reason why Croat and Slovenes didnt want to fight for Yugoslavia...

[@thanos_6.0]

Yugoslavia during WW2 would make a great small dog, big dog meme. Small dog (Yugoslavia during Axis invasion): I surrendered within 12 days Big dog (Yugoslavia during Axis occupation): I am the most effective partisan force in the whole war.

[@HistoryHustle]

Lol

[@agrameroldoctane_66]

No....

[@FilipPetrovic999]

Quick German victory in April war (invasion of Yugoslavia) actually caused such a big rebellion few months later (beside other large factors). Many soldier, and especially officers where embarrassed because of quick defeat, and were often ridiculed by the population. So they took up arms as soon as they had chance. I remember one interview on Serbian television about WW2, and one guy said that he joined the partisans (or chetniks, I am not sure) because after he came back home from the war, his father told him that his mother had not yet finished with cooking lunch, and he already returned home xD. That was happening probably because Serbs fought hard against Germans in WW1, and shameful defeat in WW2 was absolutely unimaginable in the perspective of a people who remembered the victories of the Great war. His father was also one of the veterans of WW1. Respect from Serbia, and sorry for bad English. 🙂

[@thanos_6.0]

@@FilipPetrovic999 Very interesting. Thanks

[@lukasunjic750]

@@FilipPetrovic999 all you wrote is not true you just want represent your homeland as good,brave,etc. and hide your shamefull defeats...and those for whom you said took arms not because they were embarassed, then because red army was already on their way to Berlin and germans had to fall back from Balkans

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

As always, excellent BZ In August 1941 Lale Andersen's “Lied eines Jungen Wachtposten" was saved from obscurity because Soldatensender Belgrad needed broadcasting material. I believe it became quite popular with both sides.

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting, thanks for sharing and thanks for watching as always BZ! 👍

[@gibraltersteamboatco888]

@Slavko Begić Even if only a rumour, hearing that Goebbels had banned it but had to relent and allow it because Rommel requested it, probably added greatly to it's mystique.

[@joepalooka2145]

The degree of hatred in the comments is disgusting. No matter which side you are on, the extreme hatred never ends, no matter what you say. It's sickening.

[@HistoryHustle]

Watch till you see the comment section of next week's video. I expect worse...

[@thebigone6071]

You’re the greatest historian in world history fam!!!!

[@HistoryHustle]

👍👍👍

[@deximilijanmalic4124]

Hey man, please come here in Kragujevac.I be your host here. And we can make best history stuff!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for the invite. Hope to travel there one day!

[@masterblaster848]

Awesome!

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks!

[@Teapoid]

Yugoslavia: I surrender! Germany: so that means it was a low cost easy occupation right? Yugoslavia: Germany: that means the fighting is over right?

[@HistoryHustle]

That's where it came down to.

[@kjragg1099]

The history of Yugoslavia is bloody complicated isn’t it?

[@HistoryHustle]

It is yes.

[@darkec71]

My grandfather was a Yugoslav royal infantryman in April 1941, stationed at the state border with Hungary in northern Bachka in Serbia. After the initial German attack on other sectors, the Hungarian border was quiet. Holding a concrete bunker on the border my grandfather and his fellow comrades were left behind when the Yugoslav forces were ordered to retreat from the border toward the new postions on a river Danube (about 100 km away). So they were holding that bunker not knowing that two major hungarian breakthru attacks happened at two different sectors (they were in between of those two attacks). After couple of days the bunker crew realized that they were alone,...., and that there is no other army units around,... so they were wondering through the endless fields of northern Bachka until they met a delayed yugoslav unit retreating toward the city of Novi Sad. The comander ordered them to join the unit. Just at the outskirts of Novi Sad an order was given to destroy all the weapons and march into Novi Sad where Hungarian honved forces were already gathering Yugoslav army units and leading them uphill into Petrovaradin fortress into captivity. AFter couple of days in hungarian captivity those men were released to go home. My grandfather walked all the way toward the railroad line Belgrad- Zagreb to board the train toward north (the east of Slovenia), but his way home lasted a year and a half. In the town of Osijek in Croatia the train was stopped by Germans and croatian Ustasha. The men were ordered to climb the cargo train and shipped all the way to the north of Germany into POW camp.

[@HistoryHustle]

This is very interesting to read, many thanks for sharing this.

[@starmier9034]

Hey history hustle i really would like to watch your short film mei 1940 but i cant seem to find it, how can i watch it digitally?

[@HistoryHustle]

www.patreon.com/HistoryHustler

[@markobavdek9450]

I didn't yet see this footage of Yugoslav army, interesting.

[@HistoryHustle]

My thoughts exactly!

[@darkodjokic4432]

That's training of amphibious units in the spring of 1940, young King Peter II was also present

[@nickpapagiorgio5056]

Great on location video professor Stefan!!!!! The ruins and background of the film location looks absolutely beautiful. The country of former Yugoslavia in my opinion was bound to be broken up one way or another from the beginning of its inception. The newly formed monarchy had no chance of bringing so many different ethnic groups which all yearned for independence together under one king. It was a mess from the beginning and the axis powers new this all too well and exploited this major weakness when they invaded and tore it all apart.

[@HistoryHustle]

Cheers, Nick! It was a really cool place to film.

[@trendydwarf3747]

Dankjewel! Kun je misschien video's maken over indianen en de Amerikanen ofzo

[@HistoryHustle]

Dank voor je reactie. Indianen zal ik niet zo snel over praten. Wellicht ooit, maar voor nu heb ik andere interesses en prioriteiten voor het kanaal.

[@tandemis1]

At first i thought you were filming somewhere in Dalmatia:)) Split and Zadar also have a lot of bunkers surrounding them:) Cool video. Greetings from Zagreb! Pozdrav:)

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for your reply. This was recorded near Škrljevo, close to Rijeka.

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

One ultra important thing is often (always) forgotten and I'm very happy you briefly mentioned it. Since 1930, there was a strong socialist movements in YU: communists and Ustashe (national socialists). In 1932 there was a serious uprising known as Licki Ustanak. If you read the original sources from that era, you will see that both were against the central government. Division was very strong and rivalry was present in all aspects of life for the entire decade. Even worse, just after WWI, political situation was not good as the unification was rushed. Thus long story short, this battle was lost 20 years ago :)

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for the additional information.

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

@Kafa kafica Communists are not socialists? National Socialists are not socialists? What do you think they are: a) unicorns b) free-market capitalists c) mushrooms d) socialists, just as they were saying and doing

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

@Kafa kafica What do you think the word Nazi means?

[@agrameroldoctane_66]

Stop writing nonsence. Ustase were just a terrorist group with little or no ideology. Once in power they develop fascist-style agrarianism, definitely not national socialism.

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

@@agrameroldoctane_66 Have you ever read the original sources? Have you ever read a single document written by Ustaše? Have you ever read any newspapers published by Ustaše? Do you even speak Croatian? Ili se naprosto puvaš ovde sa znenjem koje nemaš?

[@szakachdekapolna4372]

It never had a chance to survive, the fragmentation of the country was planned back in 1939, mostly by Italy, which planned to finance Maček's uprising, after which the Croatian government would officially call the Italian army for protection, after which Croatia would join Italy, under a joint king and army, only formally independent. History, however, played out differently, and Pavelić came on stage.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing your insights on this. Soon more on Pavelić.

[@szakachdekapolna4372]

@@HistoryHustle Especially interesting how he espaced with a help of Vatican and Allies.

[@szakachdekapolna4372]

@Kafa kafica really? Tought it was Serbia

[@thejosh3855]

@Kafa kafica Don't mistreat Croats, and it won't happen :)

[@tovartovarski5522]

Rarely ever did I read such a bunch of greater Serbian fairytales and lies

[@daviddoran3673]

The most memorable story for me, from this invasion, was the amazing con job pulled off by Fritz Klingenberg of the SS Das Reich Division which enabled him to take the surrender of Belgrade...he was killed in action as an SS divisional commander in March 1945, well worth researching.

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps something for the future.

[@leonanderson4727]

This information is very educational. I asked a few folks from that are formerly from that area of the world and they are even unsure exactly how and why the Nasties took over their country.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thank you for watching, Leon!

[@manofsteel7052]

Can you do a special about SS Prinz Eugen

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps one day.

[@igorseprak6177]

The Balkans: easy to get in, hard to get out.

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting thought.

[@BassMessiah100]

Cant wait for a croatian episode. Cheers from croat from Alblasserdam.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks Ivan. Next week!

[@aleksabenovic212]

Well Croatia was inside of Yugoslavia at the time. Also most of the Croats welcomed the invasion of Nazis as they Yugoslavia the occupiers.

[@aleksabenovic212]

@Slavko Begić Yes it wasn't neither the wealthiest nor the happiest. However that doesn't explain the widest support for the Independent state of Croatia led by Ustashe right?

[@ispeaku759]

The Hungarian prime-minister Pál Teleki was so much against participation of Hungary in that invasion that he committed suicide after he had learned about that. He even left a note saying: "We broke our word, - out of cowardice [...] The nation feels it, and we have thrown away its honor. We have allied ourselves to scoundrels [...] We will become body-snatchers! A nation of trash. I did not hold you back. I am guilty" Had the Hungarians listened to him they would have avoided all that misery they put on themselves by alliance with hitler.

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed, I covered this in another video.

[@hastalavictoriasiempre2730]

@History Hustle You have some really great books from Branko Petranovic on Yugoslavia, some of them are in English to and are very, very good. Give it a try, you want regret and if you happened to dont like them you will at least see problem from someones other perspective (he is really a big historian on Yugoslavia in Serbia).

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks! Hope to find something in English by him.

[@cocojumbo197]

It was mistake not to side with Germans, leadership did the right thing but coup happened, possibly engineered by Soviets or England.

[@garydownes1594]

Cool

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@milostomic8539]

No, because Yugoslavia was ethnically and religiously diverse country.Croats and Bosnian Muslims would not fight against Germans but Serbs would. And that happened when two uprisings began in Yugoslavia, Royalist in May 1941 and Communist in July 1941.

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand. Thanks for sharing.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

The sad part is , that many weapons used during the invasion of yugoslavia and later the forming of kroatia and partizan fights , where later used during the civil war in the 1990s.

[@HistoryHustle]

Really? Interesting to read. Thanks for sharing this.

[@marcusfranconium3392]

@@HistoryHustle There is a small you tube film showing all types of ww2 weapons in the 1990 1999 war. kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnPLgKCkbt97jLM

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@ketle369]

That’s a short video. Guess it would be hard to make it longer.

[@HistoryHustle]

On location, yes. Part was voice-over btw.

[@interestinglife934]

Will you ever cover the third Balkan war? The one that's takes place on the internet..

[@HistoryHustle]

lol. Wait till you see the comment section of this Wednesday's video.

[@ShubhamMishrabro]

Wow

[@HistoryHustle]

Yeah

[@johnthomson6507]

Love this. If you go to beograd. They ignore their state folding in days and concentrate on the allied bombing of Serbia in 1999. Your rule your responsibility.

[@HistoryHustle]

I've seen the buildings that were bombed back then. They left it as some kind of memorial.

[@mario.-_-.]

Even today they have a declared Chetnik as the president of the state who paraded through the occupied territories of Croatia & BiH 90's...

[@mario.-_-.]

Oh yeah ... Is it all Serbia? kzbin.info/www/bejne/rKaYoqmpodSYrbc kzbin.info/www/bejne/o4qTXpqrodKHa6c Nothing new...

[@christopherellis2663]

My former father-in-law, from Slovenia, Branko Cvetković, ended up as a Kriegsgefangler for the duration. Never went back.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@milan4675]

"The Battle of Greece lasted longer" greeks were aided by australian and new zealand reinforcements and had numerous commonwealth/allied reinforcements in Crete and such, and also had a big line of fortifications. Yugoslavs were divided by each other serbs and croats, slovenes and so they were bound to lose from the start

[@HistoryHustle]

That's true. Yugoslavs were on their own and divided yes. And above all: Crete was an island.

[@zeljkocende6087]

Tako je

[@zeljkodejanovic8786]

I was born and lived in Yugoslavia for 18 years, and during my schooling, very little history was learned other than that written by the Communists. For the last 20 years or so, I have been slowly learning the true truths of the Second World War in the former Yugoslavia. After World War II, the communist government killed over 60,000 innocent Serbs or political dissidents. Investigate the small prison for political prisoners "Goli otok" in which over 90% of Serbs were imprisoned during communism. Goli Otok Prison was the Yugoslav Alcatraz

[@HistoryHustle]

Hi Zeljko, interesting to read about what you did learn when growing up there. I guess you also learned about the terror of the NDH? Again, thanks for sharing your insights.

[@zeljkodejanovic8786]

about 60 thousand. I was watching a historian

[@zeljkodejanovic8786]

I am a Serb and I live not far from the Jasenovac camp. My family was decimated in World War II, and my mother's last name expired when her father, who was lucky enough to be in a camp in Germany, died. Her father died after World War II as a result of harassment and hard labor in captivity at a coal mine in Essen.

[@zeljkodejanovic8786]

I said that I lived under communism for 18 years, but after communism the army mobilized me and I spent a very difficult war in Croatia and Bosnia. I still live in the former Yugoslavia

[@ray7419]

Stefan and Mark Felton are the two best WWII channels on KZbin. They are what The History Channel should be.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks, Ray!

[@krisfrederick5001]

Barbarossa obviously overshadows this, it was just a staging area of the Germans for the big show.

[@HistoryHustle]

Guess that's why it's not very well known I guess.

[@HistoryHustle]

@Slavko Begić Yes indeed. We'll never know what would've happened. I do know many historians claim it wouldn't have much of a difference but again, we'll never know.

[@mario.-_-.]

Little is known that even before the outbreak of war in 1941., 2 cities in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia were bombed in 1940.! Bitola (Macedonia) 05.XI (3 airplanes) and Sušak (Croatia) 21.XII (2 airplanes). The assumption is that these were the provocations of fascist Italy (at that time it was already in Greece near Macedonia and the then Italian Fiume bordered on Sušak - now together they form Rijeka) for the beginning of the war in its areas of interest...

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this.

[@comradesam3382]

We have a joke about the "Independent State of Croatia" here in Croatia, basicly, it was heavily depndent on the Germans, a Puppet, not a state, and leaders claimed that Croats came from Germanic tribes who got "tainted" by slavic language, so not even Croatia

[@HistoryHustle]

Interesting to read. In case you're interested I did cover the NDH in this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oqHSpmZpnZJ-qLc

[@Indian_Marschall]

Forgotten invasion in HISTROY

[@HistoryHustle]

So true.

[@nerozero8266]

👍

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@drdekipetrovic7429]

Much more powerful French army lost war for 30 days without massive treason as Croats in Yugoslavia, and attacked from only one direction, not as Yugoslavia from many directions!

[@HistoryHustle]

Think the French had a bigger chance than the Yugoslavs yes.

[@herrmilan6551]

A very interesting story from this operation is one of Aleksandar Berić which you could cover. He led a river monitor which bombed the airport in Mohacs, Hungary by itself, brought down multiple stukas and roamed Danube for days alone, fighting off Germans until it was sunk.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this!

[@anonymousdetective3786]

Funny Austrian mustache man: Nooo!!! You can’t just have a resistance so large and thorny to us that we’re forced to have at least 100k troops to contain you! Tito: Ha-ha, partisans go brr.

[@HistoryHustle]

Go brr 👍

[@timman19]

Excellent video on one of the more forgotten campaigns of World War Two. Short video but this was an invasion that did not long either. Well done.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for watching 👌

[@mario.-_-.]

Rupnik's defensive line is mentioned, part of which is a recorded bunker near Škrljevo (in the hinterland of Rijeka in Croatia) ... Although the Kingdom of Yugoslavia began construction in 1925. in response to the Vallo Alpino on the Italian side, Rupnik's line, although much was expected of it, did not serve its purpose, the Nazis bombed capital Belgrade. Rupnik (Slovenian), an officer of the army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, who devised the said defense, after capture/surrender became the president of the provincial government of the province of Ljubljana under occupation, also served as chief inspector of the Home Guard. Towards the end of the war, he fled to Austria, where he was captured by the British and handed over to Tito's partisans, who convicted him to death by firing squad in 1946. for treason and cooperation with the occupier.

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this additional information.

[@armija]

Fun thing, Belgrade was captured by 6 SS soldiers who crossed Danube in a small fishing boat.

[@HistoryHustle]

Didn't know this!

[@hakaka912]

Plese make a Video about the croatian ss divisions

[@HistoryHustle]

Already made. It's the Croatian Legion btw.

[@thejosh3855]

*Bosnian

[@HistoryHustle]

@@thejosh3855 one day..

[@mattbarbarich3295]

@Slavko Begić There were 2 Croatian SS Volunteer Divisions in ww2,- Handzhar and Kama. Mostly made up of Muslims from Bosnia Herz.( in the NDH) but also Catholic Croatians and some Germans.

[@mattbarbarich3295]

@Slavko Begić You're wrong. The Germans and Himmler regarded the Bosnian Muslims as ethnic Croatian and those two SS divisions were regarded and designated as Croatian( Kroatien Nr1, Nr 2) and the Croatian red and white chequered shield patch was on their upper arm.

[@trtprc6897]

2:19 Dushan Dimiovich-it is Dušan Simović (Dushan Simovich)(en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Du%C5%A1an_Simovi%C4%87) general and commander of Yougoslav air forces,leader of coup de ta.

[@HistoryHustle]

Ok.

[@Picatoste99]

He's literally the only one to blame for all this shit. I don't know what opinion there is of him today.

[@FranceFreeL]

Can you do Latin American history? with countries from there like Argentina, Venezuela, Dominican Republic etc.

[@HistoryHustle]

Perhaps one day I'd love to travel there, but that won't happen anytime soon I'm afraid.

[@timman19]

Question: Did any Yugoslav units escape from their country that went on to fight for the allied cause?

[@HistoryHustle]

I believe some units did make it to Greece.

[@valentintapata2268]

There were some airplanes that went to Greece.

[@darkodjokic4432]

Yes, some. That's why Yugoslav Government in Exile organized Yugoslav Army Outside of Fatherland (JuVVO, Jugoslovenska vojska van Otadzbine), mostly members of air forces and the navy (1000 or so strong) that managed to escape, whose HQ was in Cairo. However, much bigger army was formed IN Yugoslavia, from the officers and NCOs that escaped Nazi capture after humiliating defeat in April War, Yugoslav Army in Fatherland (JuVUO, Jugoslovenska vojska u Otadzbini), with HQ on Ravna Gora Mt. It will be this formation, not a communist one, who will liberate the first town in Europe from Nazi occupiers (Loznica, August 31, 1941), in which its commander, sub-liutenant Veselin Misita will loose his life.

[@valentintapata2268]

@@darkodjokic4432 True, thankyou for more detailed answer.

[@Tom_Cruise_Missile]

I'd say yes, they did stand a chance, but not in a conventional war.

[@HistoryHustle]

They went guerrilla after and eventually as Yugoslav Partians proclaimed victory.

[@josecano9210]

The invasion of Yugoslavia in the long run may have cost The Axis powers the war along with putting their attention on Moscow instead of Stalingrad/Caucasus. That is because instead of starting Barbarossa earlier and using time and resources on the USSR they wasted it on Yugoslavia even if it didn’t take much effort, time and resources were still wasted. As for the focus on Moscow instead of the Cascasus, if they would’ve focused on the latter the axis powers would’ve easily gotten the oil fields and use the Volga River to their advantage to get to Moscow instead of charging forward there at the beginning. Thankfully history played out the way it did

[@gumdeo]

Royal Yugoslavia never stood a chance.

[@HistoryHustle]

I understand.

[@HistoryHustle]

👍

[@yellowwasprakija2869]

The Germans were greeted with flowers in Zagreb by the Croats. Impossible to mount an effective resistance with such a fractured country and with Croats and Slovenes who don’t have any history (of uprisings or indeed at all) and were more used to bending over for Austrian/Germans/Hungarians

[@HistoryHustle]

The deserting Croats played a part in the quick defeat but that wasn't the only thing as I explained in the video. Others factors played an important role as well.

[@mirkojorgovic]

Factory Rоgožarski produced domestically fighter IK3 . This new fighter was wery close to Devoitiene D520 ,best French's fighter ( and Vichy's French) in performance ; Artillery was traditional good but prime movers wasn't good. Fatal general Dušan Simović, an Air force general, argued 1938 against baying Czesz's license for tank production, because tanks ' not performed excellent in Spain's City war 1936-39 '; But Spain is mountain terrain. What about Vojvodina and Slavonija ? Did Simović had in mind only resistance guerilla in Bosnian mountains ? Yugoslavia had following tanks in March 1941: 54 Renault 35, 12 ( or 11 ) Skoda - panzerjägers,12-18 Renault ft18 Kegrese, and some ancient and obsolete Ft17; domestic production of tanks ,afv and artillery prime movers not evidented .

[@HistoryHustle]

Thanks for sharing this additional information!

[@panchorancho643]

The teacher i never had

[@HistoryHustle]

👌

[@guillaumeferment7445]

Are these guys wearing French adrian type helmets?

[@HistoryHustle]

I believe so. I still want to learn more about this army. Early 2022 an Osprey Men-at-arms book about this army will be released.

[@guillaumeferment7445]

@Slavko Begić thanks for the info very interesting that France made these supplies

[@micksaitlik2693]

Did croatia sign over dalmatia to italy 4 independence..???

[@HistoryHustle]

Good question. I think so yes.

[@micksaitlik2693]

@@HistoryHustle documentary.

[@ljimlewis]

Just getting started understanding this. Sure, got some in school, but not the war itself. But, what was the USA thinking, telling them not to deal w/ the “Fascists”? Sure, it was easy to say. Was America gonna help defend them?

[@HistoryHustle]

Indeed, Yugoslavia was in a hopeless position.

[@PMMagro]

With Germany/Hungary in teh North and Italy in Albania/Adriatic coast and Trieste she was very surrounded. Oh forgot the old WW1 Bulgaria trick as well...

[@HistoryHustle]

I see.

[@theodoros9428]

Stefan, give me your lights , in Crete 1941 the brave local population, fought with the Greeks soldiers and the allies of course against the parasooters If the Germans were capturing someone without uniform had the wright to executed him αcording the laws of war They fought side by side whith soldiers, i don't now if this make any difference

[@HistoryHustle]

According to the laws of war (which the German in WW2 often easily brushed aside) a combatant needs to be distinguished. That's where the uniform is for. A civilian is a non-combatant and cannot be done any harm by soldiers unless he or she starts fighting against enemy soldiers. It gives soldiers a disadvantage since at first they thought civilians were no danger for them, but then they turned out to be. The Germans in WW2 went further than this by executing civilians on sight or committing reprisals on innocent civilians who have done nothing wrong. That is against the laws of war. Hope this makes sense. Please distinguish the official laws of war and the reality. These were often not the same.