The Balkan War

* Greek and Italian Forces invade Southern Bulgaria which causes Bulgaria and Romania to agree to a ceasefire.
* Bulgaria is divided into Fascist Bulgaria under German Influence in the North and the Greek Occupation of Bulgaria in the South
* Yugoslavia and Albania are annexed by the Kingdom of Italy after the capture of Belgrade
* Romania suffers a heavy defeat in Belgrade and is humiliated

Combatants| Mediterranean Entente

* Kingdom of Italy
* Kingdom of Greece
* Republic of Turkey

Supported by

* Nationalist Spain
* Albania

Axis Powers

* Legionary Romania
* Bulgaria

**The Balkan War** was a war fought during the Second World War between the Mediterranean Entente and the Balkan nations of Yugoslavia and Albania with Romania and Bulgaria of the Axis Powers joining on the side of Yugoslavia. The Balkan War has been a topic of debate as it remains the only instance of direct conflict between the Axis Powers (now the Deutsche Sphäre) and the Mediterranean Entente.

The War ended in a decisive Mediterranean Entente Victory as after the fall of Yugoslavia, Greek and Italian Forces invaded Southern Bulgaria which forced Romania and Bulgaria to a ceasefire. This ceasefire led to the occupation of southern Bulgaria by the Greeks who establish a Military led Government Occupation. The German Reich did not support any of the Axis nations involved or Yugoslavia as they decided to focus solely on the USSR Invasion, and a majority of German Troops were centred on the Battle of Stalingrad, Siege of Leningrad and the upcoming Battle for Moscow. However, Hitler was furious at the incompetency of the Axis Nations involved and would go onto establish Fascist North Bulgaria as a Client State at the end of the war.

## History

### Background

The first foreshadowing of the Balkan War was in 1938 with the meeting of Adolf Hitler and King Edward VIII in Berlin. This meeting formed a good relation between the German Reich and the British Empire as Edward said he'd allow Germany to invade Czechoslovakia. The Second World War then broke out as the French rushed to the defence of the Czechs. All of these events pushed the Kingdom of Italy and the German Reich apart as the Germans felt they didn't need the Italians despite Italy being the very first fascist nation.

Mussolini then began to resent the Germans and began to form a new, anti-German alliance. He looked to the Mediterranean for allies and began to build relations with Turkey and Franco's Spain who were embroiled in Civil War. Turkey and Italy sent troops to Nationalist Spain and the Civil War would end a year later in 1939. The bond formed by the three nations would continue to strengthen and in 1941, Italy, Spain and Turkey form the Mediterranean Entente in order to dissuade German Aggression as the Italians believed the Germans would go south after the invasion of the USSR to Yugoslavia, then Greece and then invade Italy.

In order to counter this move ,and to connect Italy to Greece and Turkey by land for safer trade, Italy launched an invasion of Yugoslavia and Albania. Greece and Turkey had both agreed to invade as well, with Greece committing Land forces while the Turks provided Air Superiority and additional naval forces. Within days of the declaration of war, the Yugoslavians were beaten back from the borders and overwhelmed.

### The War

With the Yugoslavian Army in open retreat out of Slovenia in Late July 1941, Romania called for an emergency meeting of the Axis Powers to discuss what to do with the situation in the Balkans. Bulgaria and Romania both vouched for a Military Intervention whereas Germany and Finland ,who were engaged in heavy fighting with the Soviets, said that the Axis would not intervene until the war in the east was concluded. Romania and Bulgaria decided to intervene without German support and on the 9th of August they declared war on Italy and the Mediterranean Entente.

In September, the Bulgarian Army and the Greek Army clashed at the Bulgarian-Greek Border and the fighting at Alexandroupolis was brutal and the city bore the brunt of bombing and near constant battle. The Italians had reached Serbia by the end of 1941 and were preparing for the offensive to capture Belgrade and the Greeks had linked up with Italian Forces in Albania and Dalmatia.