252: Greece Pt. 4 - Spring 1941
From History of the Second World War by Wesley Livesay
March 25, 2026 · 24 min · Season 4 · Episode 63
About this episode
The episode discusses the critical military developments in Greece during the spring of 1941, including the Italian offensive and the strategic implications of Bulgaria joining the Tripartite Pact.
As the spring of 1941 approaches, the war in Greece enters a critical new phase. The Italians launch a major offensive in Albania, staking everything on capturing the heavily defended Hill 731, only to suffer over 12,000 casualties and gain essentially nothing after weeks of futile assaults. Meanwhile, Bulgaria's decision to join the Tripartite Pact and allow German troops to cross its territory fundamentally changes the strategic picture, opening vast stretches of border to a potential German invasion. On the Allied side, the British and Greeks struggle to agree on where to make their stand, ultimately settling on the shorter Aliákmon Line over Greek objections, while tens of thousands of Australian and New Zealand troops begin arriving in Greece to man defenses that are far from complete — setting the stage for the looming German onslaught. History of the Second World War is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
People in this episode
Host: Wesley Livesay
Topics covered
- Greece
- World War II
- military strategy
- Allied forces
- German invasion
- Balkan campaigns
Keywords
- Greece
- World War II
- Italian offensive
- Bulgaria
- Allied forces
- German invasion
- military strategy
- Hill 731
- Aliákmon Line
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Tripartite Pact
Places: Greece, Albania, Bulgaria, Hill 731, Aliákmon Line, Australia, New Zealand
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