BATTLES OF WWII - Eastern Front, Greece & Yugoslavia
Location: Greece and Yugoslavia Date: April 6-27, 1941
Commanders and Forces:
German: Second Army (von Weichs), Twelfth Army (von List); total German forces: 680,000 troops, 1,200 tanks, 700 aircraft
Italian: Second Army (General Vittorio Ambrosio, 565,000 troops).
Yugoslav: Yugoslav Army (King Peter II, 1 million men, 700 aircraft).
Greek: Greek Army (Marshal Alexander Papagos, 430,000 troops, 50 aircraft).
British: 62,000 troops, 100 tanks, 200 aircraft (Field Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson)
Casualties:
German: 5,600; Yugoslav: 100,000 killed and wounded, 3000,000 captured; Greek: 70,000 killed and wounded,2 70,000 captured; British: 11,840 killed and wounded, 7,000 captured and 200 aircraft destroyed.
Key Actions:
In Yugoslavia, German air attacks paralyzed the enemy high command, while German ground attacks sliced through Yugoslav forces. In Greece in the first three days, the Germans penetrated the Metaxas Line, forcing the surrender of the Greek Second Army, allowing German panzers to get through to the center of the country.
Key Effects:
Although successful, the Balkan campaign delayed two panzer divisions from joining the invasion of the Soviet Union in June. Also, the German Army was forced to deploy forces to guard the coastlines and to central Yugoslavia to combat partisan guerrilla groups.
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