Hitler was furious with Yugoslavia's attempt at neutrality during World War II. Combined with the faltering Italian war with Greece, Hitler invaded and seized Yugoslavia within a few days. Hitler ordered the terror bombing of Belgrade to punish the Yugoslavs for daring to defy him. While Yugoslavia was quickly occupied, the NAZI offensive into the Balkans delayed Operation Barbrossa, the invsion of the Soviet Union with catastrophic consequences foir Hitler and his Third Reich. Hitler divided Yugoslaia. Slovenia was partitioned between Italy and Germany. Most of the country was divided between two puppet states, Serbia and Croatia. The Germans incouraged actions against the Jews. Ethnic tensions exploded between the Serbs and Croats and atrocities against the Jews and Muslims ere were widespread in addition to actions againsts Serbs and Croats. Attrocities were committed by both sides. Some of the most outrgou actions were carried out by the Croatian Fascist Ustache against Serbs, Muslims, and Jews. The Germans promoted actions against the Jews and Gupseys, but do not seem to have been involved in the actions against Serbs and Croats. Much of the recent fighting in the former Yugoslavia today is a result of the terrible attrocities that took place during World war II. Under the Germans Croatia was a nominal kingdom ruled by an Italian princeling, who remained in Italy, probably a good choice on his part.

NAZI Invasion (April 1941)

Hitler was furious with Yugoslavia's attempt at neutrality during World War II. Combined with the faltering Italian war with Greece, Hitler invaded and seized Yugoslavia within a few days. Hitler ordered the terror bombing of Belgrade to punish the Yugoslavs for daring to defy him. While Yugoslavia was quickly occupied, the NAZI offensive into the Balkans delayed Operation Barbrossa, the invsion of the Soviet Union with catastrophic consequences foir Hitler and his Third Reich.

NAZI Puppet State (1941-45)

Hitler divided Yugoslaia. Slovenia was partitioned between Italy and Germany. Most of the country was divided between two puppet states, Serbia and Croatia. The Germans incouraged actions against the Jews. Ethnic tensions exploded between the Serbs and Croats and atrocities against the Jews and Muslims ere were widespread in addition to actions againsts Serbs and Croats. The Independent State of Croatia was proclaimed on April 6, 1941, 4 days after the German invasion. Slavko Kvaternik proclaimed "a free and independent State of Croatia" under the direction of Ante Pavelic. This meant Croatia became a NAZI puppet state. Pavelic at the time was in Italy. Italian Fascists were providing support for Pavelic and Croatian nationalists. Pavelic quickly returned to Croatia (April 14). He took up control of Croatoia, Hitler granted "Aryan" status to Croatia and selected Ante Pavelic to head the government. Attrocities were committed by both sides. Some of the most outragous actions were carried out by the Croatian Fascist Ustache against Serbs, Muslims, and Jews. The Germans promoted actions against the Jews and Gupseys, but do not seem to have been involved in the actions against Serbs and Croats. Much of the recent fighting in the former Yugoslavia today is a result of the terrible attrocities that took place during World war II. Under the Germans Croatia was a nominal kingdom ruled by an Italian princeling, who remained in Italy, probably a good choice on his part.

Nominal Kingdom

Under the Germans Croatia was a nominal kingdom ruled by an Italian princeling, who remained in Italy, probably a good choice on his part. The individual involved was Aimone Roberto Margherita Maria, Duke of Aosta (1900-48) He was born in Torino, Italy. His parents were Emanuele Filiberto Vittorio Eugenio Genova, Duke of Aosta and Hélène Louise Henriette, Princess of Orleans. He was chosen because of the family relationship to King Victor Vittorio Emmanuele. He became King Tomislav II. Aimone became Duke of Aosta (the cadet branch of the Royal House of Savoy) after the death of his older brother, Amadeo. Amadeo had commanded the Italian army in Eastern Africa and was taken as a prisoner of war near the end of the African campaign. He died in a British camp. Amadeo, asCount Ciano confesses, undoubtedly would have been the consensus choice as monarch of the NDH. He cut a fairly impressive figure (much more charismatic than King Vittorio Emmanuele III). The Aosta had often schemed to try to obtain the crown from their cousins since the formation of the Kingdom of Italy. [Ruchala] Aimone was a most unlikely figure for a king. When offered the crown, per Ciano, it took the Milanese police two days to find him, as he had barricaded himself in his mistress' apartment. He was a drunkard and a playboy, much to the consternation of his Greek wife, who was I believe related to the present Prince Philip of England. Aimone was, however, nearly the only available candidate, since Vittorio Emmanuele only had a single son (though many daughters). The curious issue is why Hitler went along with it, since he despised the Savoyard Dynasty and, following Italy's capitulation, even imprisoned Princess Mafalda in Auschwitz. [Ruchala] Probably for the only time in his life, Aimone showed some resolve: resolve *not* to step foot in Croatia. Mussolini even took him aside and tried to counsel him, as did his uncle the King, but he always found some excuse to delay his departure. There is evidence that he interviewed a number of Italian officers returning from the NDH (Roatta and I believe Ambrosio as well, both of whom played roles in Mussolini's overthrow as well as less exalted roles in the flight of the royal family from Rome after the capitulation, which left it defenseless against the Wehrmacht). Per Ciano, Aimone confessed to the King that he was worried about assassination, to which Vittorio Emmanuele simply advised that "these were the hazards of the trade." [Ruchala] Italy capitulated in 1943 as the Allies landed in southern Italy. I'm not precisely sure where Aimone was from 1943-45; probably in the short-lived "Kingdom of the South," since the Nazis as well as Mussolini in his puppet state in Saló attempted to capture as many of the royal "traitors" as possible, and he would not have lasted. After the monarchy lost the referendum in Italy and all members of the Savoyard Dynasty had to leave, Aimone left by himself for Buenos Aires, where he died in 1948. The King himself went to Egypt; his son, Umberto, and most of his many daughters went to Portugal. [Ruchala]

Sources

Ruchala, Cali. E-mail message, December 10, 2003.

Created: November 28, 2003
Last updated: 8:24 PM 4/26/2007