Покушај одбране источне Македоније у Априлском рату 1941.
Yugoslav Attempts to Defend East Macedonia in the 1941 April War

Summary/Abstract: This paper, based on relevant documents and other accounts, chronicles the combat operations in eastern Macedonia between 6 and 10 April 1941, when all organized resistance of the Yugoslav Royal Army ended. The German offensive was initiated on 6 April with simultaneous attacks in three directions: towards Strumica, Bregalnica, and Kriva Reka. All Yugoslav military positions were breached on the first day. The German 2nd Armored Division, operating towards Strumica, reached the village of Suševo (10 km north of Strumica), while the 73rd Infantry Division, attacking towards Bregalnica, paused its advance in Kočani (25 km northeast of Strumica). After heavy fighting with the Yugoslav Morava Division defending in Stracin, the German 9th Armored Division reached the vicinity of Kumanovo (some 20 km). On the second day of the offensive, the German 2nd Armored Division reached Lake Dojran and the next day it entered Greece. After overwhelming the Bregalnica Division, units of the 73rd Infantry Division captured Veles, facilitating the advance on routes towards Veles-Prilep-Bitolj and Veles-Skoplje. The most important event of 7 April occurred towards Kriva Reka, where the 9th Armored Division broke through Yugoslav positions at Mlado Nagoričane and occupied Kumanovo, then Skoplje, thus “reaching the most important strategic decision in the Balkan campaign,” as recorded in the German 12th Army Group Log. After two days, the Bregalnica Division ceased to exist, while the Morava and Ibar Divisions were shattered. The only division remaining combat effective was the Šumadija Division. During the two following days, 8 and 9 April, combat operations were conducted on Serta Mountain, in the area of Krivolak, Kavadar, Gradsko, and Negotin, when the last remaining Yugoslav division in this region, the Šumadija Division, was destroyed. On 10 April some 8,000 Yugoslav soldiers (of the Šumadija Division) were captured, making the total number of Yugoslav prisoners of war on this part of the front around 40,000. After that day, all organized resistance of the Yugoslav Army in east Macedonia ceased.

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