World War II in the Balkans began when Italy invaded Greece from Albania, and the Greek army, to the surprise of many, drove the Italians back into Albania. To rescue its ally and secure its southern flank before attacking the Soviet Union, Germany invaded Yugoslavia and Greece in April 1941, and the Axis took Athens and, a month later, the island of Crete by airborne assault. The region was then divided among Germany, Italy, Bulgaria and Hungary, with puppet states such as Croatia. The occupation brought hunger, reprisals and atrocities, and fueled strong resistance movements, notably the Yugoslav Partisans under Tito and the Greek resistance. The Balkans were liberated in 1944 and 1945.
Before and after
- 9 October 1940Birth of John Lennon
- from 19 October 1940 to 24 October 1940Official visit by Heinrich Himmler to Spain
- 21 October 1940Publication of For Whom the Bell Tolls
- 23 October 1940Birth of Pelé
- from 28 October 1940 to 1 June 1941World War II in the Balkans
- from 28 October 1940 to 23 April 1941Greco-Italian War
- 13 November 1940Release of Fantasia
- 18 November 1940Birth of Qaboos bin Said Al Said
- 27 November 1940Birth of Bruce Lee
More in Wars, politics & history
- 1917Russian Revolution
- from 25 October 1917 to 26 October 1917October Revolution
- from 7 November 1917 to 25 October 1922Russian Civil War
- 23 August 1939Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact
- from 30 November 1939 to 13 March 1940Winter War
- from 22 June 1941 to 5 December 1941Operation Barbarossa
The era
This moment belongs to the Modern era (1914 CE to 1945 CE), world wars and a changing world. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.