Yugoslavia was already internally unstable in early 1939. A Mussolini-aligned prime minister had fallen in February after favouring one ethnic constituency so heavily that opponents united against him. His successor sought a different balance and moved toward combining Croatian administrative territories into a larger political unit. Italy's occupation of Albania now puts pressure on a state already negotiating among Serb, Croat, and other national claims.
Notable Point · 28:34-30:41
Yugoslavia's political fracture before invasion
A recent change of prime minister and disputes over Croatian autonomy leave Yugoslavia politically divided as Italian territory closes in from Albania and Trieste.