After Italy occupies Albania, Yugoslavia is hemmed in from Trieste in the north to Italian-held territory in the south, yet geography still frustrates a quick conquest. The Drava offers a river barrier, while the approaches into Slovenia and Montenegro restrict Italy to narrow fronts. French-made tanks and plentiful artillery can work in a static defensive fight; French armour itself was not the main failure in 1940, but command and organisation were. Germany moves through Hungary toward the Ploiesti oil fields while promising the Soviet Union that it will avoid the Black Sea coast, potentially leaving Bulgaria room to move there. German strength is sufficient for one planned main-axis drive rather than every Axis problem at once, so the Italian Balkan attack is likely to bog down.
Notable Point · 30:48-34:47
Yugoslavia and Romania in the Axis war plan
The scenario imagines German pressure on Romania and Italian attacks on Yugoslavia, where terrain and defensive geography complicate an easy Axis victory.