War in SouthEastern Europe

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War in South-Eastern Europe
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Recap what were the key features of the military
action between Italy and Britain in Africa,
September 1940 February 1941?
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• What was achieved?
• Italians, led by Graziani, attacked Egypt from
  Libya
• Italians 300,000 vs British and Commonwealth
  36,000
• British commander Sir Archibald Wavell, decided
  to throw everything he had at the Italians.
• British took the offensive, forcing Italians into
  retreat, and British captured Italian bases at
  Sidi Barrani, Bardia, Tobruk, El Algheila and
  Benghazi in Libya.
• In 1941 the British had also overrun Mussolinis
  East African Empire of Somaliland, Eritrea and
  Abyssinia.
• By May 1941, the Italians had surrendered and
  Haile Selassie, the deposed ruler of Abyssinia
  was restored to power.

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Emperor Haile Selassie of Abyssinia
(Ethiopia) Reigned 1930-1974 Exiled to England
(1936-41)
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(No Transcript)
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Engaging the enemy

• In less than a year, Mussolini had lost his
  Italian Empire in North/East Africa.
• For the British, the war in North Africa and
  Southern Europe was one of the only ways that
  they could engage the enemy on land in 1940/1941.

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Italy the thorn in Hitlers side?

• From the outset, Italy proved a poor ally to
  Germany, and this was a contributory factor
  (albeit a minor one) in Hitlers eventual
  failure. (Jeremy Black)
• Not only was Italy suffering at the hands of the
  British in North Africa, and had had suffered the
  blow of the attack on Taranto, but they also
  faced defeat in Southern Europe simultaneously.

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Greece

• While fighting the British in North Africa,
  Mussolini also launched an invasion of Greece in
  October 1940.

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Why did Mussolini want to invade Greece?

• The main oil supplies for Germany came from
  Ploesti, in Romania so this was important for
  them to protect.
• The Balkan states were becoming increasingly
  under German influence both Germany and Italy
  were intervening to resolve conflict between
  Hungary and Romania in summer 1940 and fearing
  the influence of the Soviets in Russia, Hitler
  sent a military mission to Romania under the
  pretence of trying to bring Romanian troops up to
  German standards.

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Why did Mussolini want to invade Greece?

• The real task of course, was to protect the
  Romanian oil districts and to prepare the Germans
  and Romanians for possible conflict against the
  Soviets.
• Mussolini became outraged at Hitler by his taking
  action in the Balkans without consulting him, and
  disregarding any Italian interests the Italians
  then began planning the invasion of Greece.
• Greece was the next country of interest in
  Southern Europe in the Italian vision, as they
  had already taken Albania, next door.

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Italian attacks on Greece from neighbouring
Albania were repulsed by the Greek army. The
Italians were driven back across the border.
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The invasion of Greece, Oct 1940

• The Italians launched a two-stage campaign from
  Albania on 28 October 1940.
• However, like in N.Africa, the Italian army were
  quickly in trouble, as the Greeks began to fight
  back.
• In November/December 1940 the invasion was
  repelled and the Greeks began to advance into
  southern Albania, the Italian colony.
• The poorly trained and commanded Italian troops
  were outfought by the more resilient, better
  trained and more motivated Greek troops.
• The Greek strategy was also far better, and
  reflected more superior generalship.

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Italy in trouble

• With Italy facing humiliation in both Africa and
  Southern Europe, Hitler decided to intervene.
• The Germans wanted to protect the oilfields in
  Romania and protect the southern flank of Europe
  from falling under British or Soviet control.
• However, with the Italians losing so badly in
  North Africa simultaneously, the Germans were
  concerned about the stability of Axis power in
  the Mediterranean region as the British
  dominance increased at Italian expense.
• By the end of 1940, the Germans had to send
  troops to both North Africa and the Balkans to
  assist the Italians.

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British wartime propaganda poster in praise of
the Greek resistance.
Henceforth we will not say that the Greeks
fought like heroes. We shall say that heroes
fight like Greeks. W.S Churchill
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The Germans in Southern Europe

• Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania were pressurised to
  ally themselves to Germany,
• Yugoslavia refused to ally, and in spring 1941,
  the Germans invaded and occupied the country.
  From Yugoslavia they then also invaded Greece.
• The Germans invaded Greece on 6 April.

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German troops raise the Nazi flag over the
Acropolis of Athens on April 27th 1941
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Significance of German intervention?

• In early 1941 Hitler was well into his plans for
  Operation Barbarossa (invasion of Russia) which
  was intended to begin in May 1941.
• By sending troops to the Balkans and helping the
  Italians in Greece, Hitler had to delay his plans
  for Barbarossa by 6 weeks which set back the
  start date to 22 June 1941.
• Some historians have speculated that this 6 week
  delay affected the outcome of the entire war as
  in Russia the Germans got caught up in a winter
  war and their failures in Russia were vital in
  leading to the final outcome of the war.

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The British try to come to the rescue!

• In early 1941, the British forces were meeting
  with much success in driving back the Italians
  and taking their land in North Africa.
• Given their success, the British had an
  opportunity to win the war in North Africa
  however, at the crucial moment, Churchill ordered
  the troops in North Africa to divide with some
  being diverted to go to help the Greeks fight
  against Italy and Germany, while the remains
  continued in Africa.

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Despite heavy losses, German parachute troops
overwhelmed the island of Crete and forced a
British evacuation back to Egypt.
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German forces in Crete
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The British in Greece

• About 58,000 British and Australian forces sent
  to Greece but made little impact against the
  invading German army
• They were forced to evacuate to the island of
  Crete and then to Egypt. (this was the third
  evacuation since Norway and Dunkirk)
• Greek partisans (rebels) continued a Guerrilla
  war against the Germans with British money and
  weapons for the next four years.

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British mistake?

• Importance of the British intervention in Greece
  . a huge strategic mistake by sending some
  troops to Greece when they were in a winning
  position in Africa, took the pressure off the
  Italians, and arguably cost the British the
  chance to win the war in N.Africa at this point.
• Meanwhile, the Germans sent Erwin Rommel and his
  Afrika Korps to help the Italians in North
  Africa. The war in North Africa would last
  another two years.