The Balkan Campaign

Background info: When Italy made a pact with Germany, Hitler had informed Mussolini to follow his orders. Mussolini followed the order till several years later after watching Hitler dominate everyone in Europe, and crushing enemy after enemy. Mussolini felt confident and decided to start his own campaign to return the Roman Empire. Mussolini's actions changed the war, and effected Hitler's plans and caused his plans to move further forward than Hitler expected.

Balkan Campaign Begins: On June 10, 1940 Benito Mussolini who was fascist leader of Italy who wanted to lead Italy to the Rise of a new Roman empire. On September 27, 1940 Hungary and Romania joined the Axis powers. Italy invaded Greece on 28 October, 1940. After so many failed attempts in Greece and the Balkan countries, Hitler was reported to be enraged, and declared war on the Balkan Countries seeking the destruction of Yugoslavia and Greece. On April 6, 1941 Operation Punishment began. Hitler sent 33 divisions of German soldiers into Yugoslavia. 10 days before Operation Punishment began Yugoslavia already had surrendered. Days later after operation punishment began German soldiers, tanks and planes poured into Greece which the Germans believed they were going to have far more success than Italy. By April 21, 1941 the Greeks surrendered. 






When the Axis powers controlled the Mediterranean coastline, which had showed that the German Blitzkreig was unstoppable. 

I believe Hitler had the right to be upset, about the actions of Mussolini. 


Booth, Owen, and John Walton. The Illustrated History of World War II. Edison, NJ: Chartwell, 1998. Print.