Operation Alpenveilchen
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During World War II, Operation Alpine Violet (German: Unternehmen Alpenveilchen) was a proposed German operation designed to help the Italians in 1941 break out of their Albanian colony and into Greece.[1][2] This operation was never executed, primarily because of problems with supply and transportation.[3]
In October 1940, the Italians invaded Greece without German help and were quickly driven back by the Greeks into retreat and into Albania. An Italian "Spring Offensive" in March 1941 made little progress and proved very costly for the few gains made.
In April 1941, the Germans launched Operation Marita (German: Unternehmen Marita) and the Italians in Albania were ultimately able to take advantage of German attacks elsewhere. By mid-April, the Greek forces in Albania were withdrawing. On 22 April, the 4th Bersaglieri Regiment crossed back into Greece.
See also
[edit]- Italian invasion of Albania
- Military history of Albania during World War II
- Greco-Italian War
- Battle of Greece
References
[edit]- ^ Creveld, Martin Van (1973-11-22). Hitler's Strategy 1940-1941. Cambridge [Eng.]: Cambridge University Press. p. 109. ISBN 978-0-521-20143-8.
- ^ Press, Naval & Military (2003). The German Campaign in the Balkans, Spring 1941. p. 15. ISBN 978-1-84342-500-7.
- ^ Creveld, Martin van (1972). "In the Shadow of Barbarossa: Germany and Albania, January-March 1941". Journal of Contemporary History. 7 (3/4). [Sage Publications, Ltd., Sage Publications, Inc.]: 221–230. ISSN 0022-0094. JSTOR 259913. Retrieved 2025-05-08.