Foreign Policy in the Second World War {1939-1946)
Foreign Policy in the Second World War {1939-1946)

Author(s): Harry N. Howard
Subject(s): WW II and following years (1940 - 1949), Fascism, Nazism and WW II
Published by: CEEOL Digital Reproductions / Collections
Keywords: Yugoslavia under German occupation;
Summary/Abstract: Although Yugoslavia was a member of both the Little Entente and the Balkan Entente and had been allied with France since 1927, by the time of the outbreak of the Second World War, in September, 1939, the Yugoslav government—whatever the sentiments of the people—was already oriented in the direction of the Axis. After 1935 especially, commercial relations with Germany had been intensified; in 1937 the political ties with Bulgaria and Italy were strengthened. In spite of this orientation, however, Germany and Italy, especially the latter, seem to have been moving toward a policy of partitioning Yugoslavia when the opportunity arose, although there were reassuring words during the visits of Premier Stojadinović to Berlin and Rome and of von Neurath, the German Foreign Minister, to Belgrade. The so-called Munich Agreement of September 29-30, 1938, constituted a major landmark in the development of Germany’s policy toward southeastern Europe and in the orientation of Yugoslavia itself.

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