The bombing occurred in the first days of the German-led Axis invasion of Yugoslavia during World War II. The attacks resulted in the paralysis of Yugoslav civilian and military command and control, the widespread destruction of Belgrade’s infrastructure, and many civilian casualties. The senior Luftwaffe officer responsible for the bombing, Generaloberst Alexander Löhr, was captured by the Yugoslavs at the end of the war and was tried and executed for war crimes, in part for his involvement in the bombing. The bombing has been dramatised in literature and film.
About Operation Retribution (1941) in brief
The bombing occurred in the first days of the German-led Axis invasion of Yugoslavia during World War II. The attacks resulted in the paralysis of Yugoslav civilian and military command and control, the widespread destruction of Belgrade’s infrastructure, and many civilian casualties. Among the non-military targets struck during the bombing were the National Library of Serbia, which burned to the ground with the loss of hundreds of thousands of books and manuscripts, and the Belgrade Zoo. The senior Luftwaffe officer responsible for the bombing, Generaloberst Alexander Löhr, was captured by the Yugoslavs at the end of the war and was tried and executed for war crimes, in part for his involvement in the bombing. The bombing has been dramatised in literature and film. The Royal Yugoslav Army Air Force had only 77 modern fighter aircraft available to defend Belgrade against the hundreds of German fighters and bombers that struck early on 6 April. Hitler decided that Belgrade would be bombed as punishment for the coup, under the codename Operation Retribution. On 27 March 1941, Germany transferred about 500 fighter and bomber aircraft from France and northern Germany to the Yugoslav border. The German commander of the airfields demonstrated that the Yugoslav ground observation network and radio communications were inadequate, and demonstrated that Yugoslav fighters were on constant alert. The Yugoslav government signed the Tripartite Pact with the Axis powers in February 1941. On 25 March, the Yugoslav government complied.
Two days later, a group of VVKJ and Yugoslav Royal Guard officers, led by Brigadier General Borivoje Mirković, deposed Prince Paul in the Yugoslav coup d’état. He was replaced by his 17-year-old nephew Peter. Hitler issued Directive 25, which changed the political situation in the Balkans. He ordered that even even if Yugoslavia gave declarations of loyalty, she must be considered as a foe and therefore must be destroyed as quickly as possible. The day of the coup had changed thePolitical situation in Yugoslavia. The Coup d’etat that overthrew the government that had signed theTripartite pact. The Day of the Coup changed the Political Situation in the Balkan Balkans. Hitler ordered that eveneven if Yugoslavia should give declarations of Loyalty, shemust be considered a foe. The Directive stated that if Yugoslavia gives declarations ofoyalty, the first possible possible possible, she should be destroyed at first possible. On 27 February 1941, the Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring transferred 500 fighter aircraft from Germany and northern France to the northern Yugoslav border, near the border with France. The following day, the British troops began landing in Greece to bolster the country’s defences against the Italians. On 12 March, Yugoslav airmen began dispersing to auxiliary airfields. By 20 March, the V VKJ’s dispersal had been completed. On 24 March, the VKSJ’s dispersal had been completed, and by 20 March the VVK J’s airmen were placed on constant alert.
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