World War II in the Balkans

The Balkan region in World War II, had Yugoslavia, Greece, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, and other countries, participate on both the allied and axis side.

Balkans in World War II
Part of World War II
Date 1940 — May 8 1945 Location Balkans Result 1940–1941 Axis victory 1944–1945 Allied victory
Belligerents
United Kingdom  • Balkan Air Force  Australia (until 1941)  New Zealand (until 1941)  Greece  Yugoslavia (from April 1941)  •  Yugoslav Partisans  Chetniks (1941) LANÇ  Soviet Union (from June 1941)  Romania (from August 1944)  Bulgaria (from September 1944)  United States (from December 1941)	Germany  Italy (until September 1943)  Hungary (from November 1940)  Romania (from November 1940 — August 1944)  Bulgaria (from March 1941 — September 1944)  Croatia (from April 1941)  Albania (from September 1943 — November 1944)  Chetniks (1941-1945)
Commanders and leaders
Winston Churchill George II Peter II Joseph Broz Tito Enver Hoxha Joseph Stalin	Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Miklós Horthy
Casualties and losses
986,788 killed 464,525 killed, 20,650 partisans killed unknown 247,549 killed 28,000 partisans killed unknown	4,246,384 killed 324,821 killed 270,120 killed in the invasion of Yugoslavia and siege of Budapest unknown 1,532 killed

History

1940-1941

Greece was invaded by Italy in October of 1940, but the Greeks counter attacked, and pushed through Albania, but in November, Hungary and Romania joined the axis.

Yugoslavia joined the axis in march of 1941, but left after a coup, so Yugoslav is was invaded by their axis and Greece to, both fell to the invasion, and resistance was formed.

1944-1945

the soviets invaded Romanian territory in march 1944 and in august, Romania capitulated, and so did Bulgaria, the Soviets helped the Yugoslav Partisans liberate Yugoslavia, and the British landed in Greece to liberate the country, in November, Albanian partisans liberated the Albania and set a provisional government, soviet forces also invaded Hungary, encircling Budapest.

in April, the Soviets and partisans launched a final offensive into axis territory, on the 8th of may, Germany surrendered.