News of the Week in Review
Twenty News Questions (see answers on 4/9) – 13
Question of Convoys Must be Faced Soon – 14
War Proves Air Power Needs the Aid of Ships - 16
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1941/apr41/f06apr41.htm
Germans invade the Balkans
Sunday, April 6, 1941 www.onwar.com
In the Balkans... German forces invade Yugoslavia and Greece. The attack begins with advances by List’s Twelfth Army from Bulgaria and with bombing raids on Belgrade and targets in Greece. The main German attack on the first day falls on Greek troops in forward positions. The German 30th Corps attacks the center attacks the center and right of the Metaxas Line. A second corps attacks the left of the line but sends more of its force into Yugoslavia toward Strumica. The third corps moves into Yugoslavia farther north heading for Skopje. There is heavy fighting on the Greek border but the Yugoslav frontier is easily crossed by the Germans. During the night there is an important air raid on the port of the Piraeus in which a British ammunition ship blows up, sinking many other vessels and extensively damaging the port installations.
In North Africa... The German and Italian advance is maintained. On the coast the Australian Division is beginning to pull back to Tobruk from Derna. General O’Connor has now arrived at the front to advise Neame but both are captured during the night by a German patrol. O’Connor, the architect of the British victory at Beda Fomm, is an especially serious loss.
In the North Atlantic... The German battle cruiser Gneisenau is badly hit by a British torpedo plane while on exercise just outside the port of Brest.
In East Africa... Addis Ababa, Abyssinia, is taken in the continuing Allied advance. The Duke of Aosta is withdrawing to the north toward Amba Alagi with the remains of the main Italian force. General Frusci is in tactical command of these troops. Elsewhere in the country the Italians have about 80,000 more men. General Nasi commands in the Gondar area with half this force and General Gazzera in the south and southwest with the rest. The port of Massawa in Eritrea is attacked by the Allied forces with support from British naval vessels lying offshore.