Figure 1.--Here is King Peter and I think his new wife Princess Alexandra of Greece who he married in 1944. At the time both were exiled in London. A son, Crown Prince Alexander, was born in London (1945)..
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Figure 1.--Here is King Peter and I think his new wife Princess Alexandra of Greece who he married in 1944. At the time both were exiled in London. A son, Crown Prince Alexander, was born in London (1945).. |
All but one of Yugoslavs neighbors by 1941 were under NAZI domination or influence. Prince Paul to avoid bloodshed felt obliged to sign a formal pact with Germany and Italy. Shortly afterwards, however, on March, 27 1941, he was unseated in a coup and the young King Peter II was declared of age. Within a week, Germany, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Italy invaded Yugoslavia and the government was forced to surrender. While a military disaster for the Yugoslavs, the Germans action in forced them to delay the planned invasion of Russia. The precious weeks of delay was a critical element in the German failure to smash the Red Army before the onset of winter in 1941. King Peter II, with the Yugoslav Government, made his way via Athens, Jerusalem and Cairo to London where he joined numerous other governments in exile from NAZI occupied Europe. The Germans divided Yugoslavia to satisfy Italian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, and demands and established a puppet Croat state proclaimed. The atrocities which followed, primarily directed at the Serbs is an important element in the emnity which emerged after the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992. After the collapse of the Yugoslavian army in 1941, two rival resistance groups to the occupying forces eventually formed. The first was the Royalist Chetniks, led by the loyalist General Draza Mihailovic, Minister for Defense in the exile government. The other was the revolutionary Partisans led by the communist Josip Broz, known to the world later as Tito. A bitter civil war followed as the same time they fought the Germans. Yugosalvia became one of the most terrible killingfields of World War II he Allies, having initially supported Mihailovic, then threw their support behind Tito. Yugoslavia was the only occupied country to liberate pats of the country with partisan forces. The Germans were fonally cleared from the country when Partisans entered Belgrade during 1944 in the wake of Soviet tank brigades and established a Communist Government, but one independent from Moscow.
All but one of Yugoslavs neighbors by 1941 were under NAZI domination or influence.
Yugoslavia finally joined the Axis. the Regent, Prince Paul was summoned by Hitler to the Berghof. This was a treatment given by Hitler to other recalitrant neighbors. Prince Paul traveled in total secrecy (March 4-5, 1941). At the Berhof threatened Prince Paul with what would happen if he continued to defy him. He was also offered the emducement of the Greek port of Salonika if he cooperated. Hitler was adroit in offering the territory of other countries to those who cooperated with him. The Royal Government was fully aware of the reaction in Serbia to a pact with the NAZIs. Yugoslav Premier, Dragisha Cvetkovic, and Foreign Minister Aleksander Cincer-Markovic, depart Belgrade in secrecy for Vienna (March 25). They know that public announcement of an impending pact with the NAZIs would provoke demonstrations if not riots. In Vienna they meet with Hitler and Ribbentrop and formally sign the documents acceding to the Tripartite Pact (March 25). The Yugoslav officials were given written assurance by Ribbentrop assuring them that Germany would to respect "the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Yugoslavia at all times" and that the Axis would not insist on transit rights across Yugoslavia "during this war". [Schrier, p 823.] Prince Paul to avoid bloodshed felt obliged to sign a formal pact with Germany and Italy.
Shortly afterwards, however, on March, 27 1941, he was unseated in a coup d'état and the young King Peter II was declared of age. The coup plotters declared Perter of age. King Peter at the time was only 17 years of age. The British supported the coup. I am not sure just what role Peter played in the coup. .
Within a week, Hitler struck. The NAZIs invaded Yugoslavia. Germany's Axis allies (Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, and Italy) participated. Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to bomb Belgrade for 3 days to punish the Serbs that dared resist him (April 6-8). The city as a whole was bombed, not just military targets. The Yugoslav Government was forced to surrender. While a military disaster for the Yugoslavs, the Germans action in forced them to delay the planned invasion of Russia. The precious weeks of delay was a critical element in the German failure to smash the Red Army before the onset of winter in 1941.
King Peter II, with the Yugoslav Government, made his way to Athens, but when the NAZIs moved in on Athens, he fleed to Jerusalem and Cairo. Finally he reached London (June 1941.) There he set up the Yugoslav Government in exile. This as one of several governments in exile organized to resist NAZI occupation of their countries. President Roosevelt sent a nessage to King Peter at the onset of the NAZI invasion, "The people of the United States have been profoundly shocked by the unprovoked and ruthless aggression upon the people of Yugoslavia. The Government and people of the United States are witnessing with admiration the courageous self-defense of the Yugoslav people, which constitutes one more shining example of their traditional bravery. As I have assured Your Majesty's Government, the United States will speedily furnish all material assistance possible in accordance with its existing statutes. I send Your Majesty my most earnest hopes for a successful resistance to this criminal assault upon the independence and integrity of your country." (April 8, 1941). [Department of State Bulletin] America at the time was still neutral, but was assisting Britain through the new Lend Lease progam. Some of that assistance would flow to the guerillas resisting gthe NAZIs in Yugoslavia.
King Peter continued his education at Cambridge University.
After graduating from Cambridge University, King Peter joined the Royal Air Force.
King Peter married Princess Alexandra of Greece while in London (1944). A son, Crown Prince Alexander, was born in London (1945).
The Germans divided Yugoslavia to satisfy Italian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, and demands and established a puppet Croat state proclaimed. The atrocities which followed, primarily directed at the Serbs is an important element in the emnity which emerged after the breakup of Yugoslavia in 1992. After the collapse of the Yugoslavian army in 1941, two rival resistance groups to the occupying forces eventually formed. The first was the Royalist Chetniks, led by General Draza Mihailovic, Minister for Defense in the exile government. The other was the Partisans led by the communist Josip Broz. He is better known now as Tito. A bitter civil war followed as the same time they fought the Germans. Yugosalvia became one of the most terrible killing fields of World War II. The Allies initially supported Mihailovic's Chetniks. The Chetniks soon sought a degree of accomodation with the NAZIs. This was in part because the NAZIS would comduct apauling reprisals for Chetnik attacks. The Chetniks also feared Tito's Partisans. The Allies thus gradually directed then support to Tito and his Partisans. Yugoslavia was the only occupied country to liberate pats of the country with partisan forces.
The Germans were fonally cleared from the country when Partisans entered Belgrade during 1944 in the wake of Soviet tank brigades and established a Communist Government, but one largely independent from Moscow.
King Peter did nit return to Yigoslavia after liberation. Tito ordered the arrest of Chetniks and supporters of the Royal Givernment. Many were shot or cinfined to long terms in brutal concentration camps. The Constituent Assembly of the new Communist Government officially deposed him (November 29, 1945). King Peter never abdicated. He moved to the United States
Department of State Bulletin, April 12, 1941.
Shirer, William L. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany (Simon and Schuster, New York, 1960).
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