Prelude to the attack on the Soviet Union

Prelude to the attack on the Soviet Union

1. Background

   • Summer of 1941
     • italy failed to be a part of Germany, this was seen in the failed italian invasians of Egypt and Greece
       • Italy was ill equipped, when they attacked Greece
       • the italians did this to gain back the dominance that the soviets took from them
         • Hitler intervened to save Italy from defeat
           • Hitler sent his military to North Nfrica and Greece
             • They also finalized the longed attack on the Soviet's during the time

2. Hitler started gathering forces to invade

   • German forces assembled in Bulgaria
     • In response to Bulgaria and Greece, Britain dispatched ground forces to Greece to aid the country in early February
       • Germany began to move against Greece
         • Government of Yugoslavia (Neutral) had been overthrown and a pro-British government had been installed
           • Led Hitler to conquer Greece and Yugoslavia
             • In April the Germans conquered and ran over their defenses
               • Captured Belgrade on April 12
                 • Lasted a week
                   • Greek forces disintegrated when the Germans attacked which led the British to withdraw their forces as well
                     • Germans "showed off" with a daring airborne campaign against the island of Crete
                       • Seized the island after fighting in May
                         • This caused the British to withdraw their forces for the 3rd time

3. Aftermath

   • The invasions caused long term complications to German war plans
     • Strong resistance movement
       • Communist-led partisan movement led by Joseph Tito
       • April 17th armistice
         • Serbian loyalists to to the hills of the countyside to launch the Chetnik movement
         • Yugoslavs would resist German occupation of their country

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