202 TURNING THE TIDE 1943–1944
PaxoiCerigoSikinosPeloponnesusVisBrac
HvarKorčula
MljetŠoltaIosNaxosMikonosTinosAndrosParos
AmorgosThiraAstipalaiaNicariaSamosKhiosPsaraSkopelosLliodhomiaSkiathosSamothraceLesbosIdhraCorfuHUNGARY
ITALY
GREECE
RO
M
AN
IAY U G O S L A V I A B
U
L
G
A
R
IA
TU
RK
EY
Ad
ri
a
ti
c
S
e
aSERBIAMONTENEGROCROATIAALBANIAVrbasDrinaVa
rda
rSeman MaritsaVij
oseSa
vaUnaSa
vaDrav
aMo
rav
aDa
nub
eLake
BalatonLake
SkadarTiszaNeretvaBo
sn
aAegean
Sea
DubrovnikKlagenfurtTimisoaraDetaLjubljanaKranj Kamnik CeljeSuboticaSabacScutariMariborPotenzaTarantoPristinaPresevoSurdulicaLeskovacObrenovacBrindisiDurazzoPrizrenSibenikSzegedTriesteSkopje
VelesTiranaZaraFiume
PlaskioGrazSofiaPecsSombor
SrbobranSplitPulaBariNis
Bela PalankaVlasotinceSarajevoZenicaTuzlaMostarGackoŽabljak
ŠavnikAndrijevicaKolašinBilećaCetinjeBanja
LukaJajceDrvarBihaćGospićZagrebPožega VinkovciVaraždinBudapestAradNovi SadZrenjaninBelgrade
PožarevacVidinBorPetrovacParaćinSokobanjaMihajlovacSmederevoKragujevacJaninaTrikkalaKoritsa SalonikaMonastirFlorinaKavalaXanthiAdrianopleAthens
PiraeusThebes ChalcisDistamoThermopylaePatrasPirgosCorinthLamiaKalamataVolosLarissaOsijekAllied/Partisan joint baseAllied/Partisan raids on Adriatic islandsAllied air bases in southern ItalyAllied Easter bombing raids
Apr 16–17, 1944THE BRITISH ARRIVE IN YUGOSLAVIA
JANUARY–JUNE 1944
After initially supporting the Chetniks, the British
decided to back Tito in July 1943. In January 1944,
they landed troops on the Yugoslav island of Vis,
previously held by Italy, to prevent it falling into
German hands. They set up a joint base with the
Yugoslav Partisans and raided other German-held
islands. They also attacked from southern Italy,
but a controversial carpet-bombing campaign at
Easter 1944 killed more than 1,000 civilians and
left most German military targets intact.1
Oct 19–21, 1941
Kragujevac massacre;
the Germans shoot
2,800 men and boys
in retaliation for a
partisan attack.Sep 24–Oct 5, 1944
Partisans execute 48 men
suspected of collaborating
with the Nazis.Oct 8, 1944
The Germans
evacuate Corinth.Feb 22, 1945
Axis forces
leave Mostar.Apr 4, 1945 Axis
forces abandon
Sarajevo.Oct 14–20, 1944
Belgrade is liberated
by Tito’s partisans and
the Soviet Army.THE BALKANS LIBERATED
The Allies’ arrival in the Balkans in
1944 helped partisan groups to liberate
Yugoslavia and Greece, but enmity
between Communists, Republicans, and
Royalists threatened Greece’s peace.2
3
41TIMELINEJAN 1944 APR JUL OCT JAN 1945 APR JUL5
6
7KEY
Croatia (German puppet state)Serbia (under German occupation)Montenegro
(Italian
protectorate)GreeceYugoslaviaGERMANY STRIKES AT TITO
APRIL–JUNE 1944
In April 1944, the Germans launched Operation
Rösselsprung, their sixth major offensive against
partisans since 1941. German airborne and ground
troops attacked the town of Drvar, headquarters
of the Yugoslav Partisans; they took the town after
door-to-door fighting, but suffered heavy losses in
a Partisan counterattack. Tito escaped unharmed,
and later reestablished headquarters on Vis.2
German attack on DrvarTHE BELGRADE OFFENSIVE
SEPTEMBER 1–OCTOBER 20, 1944
In a bid to liberate the Yugoslav capital Belgrade,
Tito and the Western Allies cut German lines
of communication by bombing roads and railroads
in Operation Ratweek. However, suspicious
of British intentions and needing to reach an
understanding with the fast-approaching Soviets,
Tito met with Stalin. Alongside the Soviet Army
and the Bulgarian People’s Army, the Yugoslav
Partisans finally freed Belgrade on October 20.3
Soviet army
movementsPartisan army
movementsBulgarian army
movementsMajor Operation
Ratweek bombing1941–1945 Germany allows
pro-Fascist Croatia to form a
nominally independent state.1941–1944 Greece is occupied by
Italian and German forces, and
parts are annexed by Bulgaria.
In 1943, Germany takes over
the large Italian occupation zone.1941–1945 Serbia is
subjected to a brutal
German military
occupation.US_202-203_Greece_and_Yugoslavia.indd 202 27/05/19 2:07 PM