Balkans Campaign WI

Is an Axis invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece possible a little earlier, say in 1940? I know it would be before the coup in Belgrade and some large scale engagements between the Italians and Greeks but can anyone think of a scenario that would make it plausible? IOTL they overran both countries in less than one month but here maybe the situation would be a little different? So, any ideas?
 
Have a less tenacious Greek resistance in Oct 1940 or more likely after annexing Albania the Italians invade Yugoslavia instead of attacking Greece in Mid / late 1940 and invade Greece later
 
Is an Axis invasion of Yugoslavia and Greece possible a little earlier, say in 1940? I know it would be before the coup in Belgrade and some large scale engagements between the Italians and Greeks but can anyone think of a scenario that would make it plausible? IOTL they overran both countries in less than one month but here maybe the situation would be a little different? So, any ideas?

Italy wanted 1940 invasion of Yugoslavia but was vetoed by Germany, that might butterfly away later invasions of Greece and Egypt? (with maybe Greece ceding Crete and Western Thrace to Axis and remaining neutral)
 

NoMommsen

Donor
Why did Hitler veto the invasion of yugoslavia?
Cause he wanted the Balkans quite, while he was already gearing up for Barbarossa (at least mentally :p).

Cause he didn't want trouble on the "soft underbelly" of Europe, esp. not giving british or french forces a reason to establish themself there.

Cause he got from Yugoslavia all he wanted (raw materials, esp. stuff like chromium , bauxit, manganese, 'special metals'-stuff) by economicl-diplomatic pressure already.
 
Plus I thought the invasion was prompted by a coup that occurred after Yugoslavia joined the Tripartite Pact. Granted signing the pact was very unpopular and protesters chanted "better grave than slave" but still, this was a country that Hitler felt could either be a friendly neutral to a possible ally. I guess one way to get him to green light the invasion would be to have the pact signed in September 1940 after Hungary signs it which prompts the coup then.
 
Apparently Mussolini and Hitler decided sometime during 1939 that Yugoslavia has no future in the new Europe; that it should be vassalized + reduced in size at the very least, and probably outright dismembered.

But Hitler didn't want to blow up the region and divert attention and resources from his main goals and fronts, so Yugoslavia's fate (be it violent invasion or some kind of Third Vienna Award) was indefinitely postponed. Instead they courted and diplomatically pressured Yugoslavia, and even let some not-so-secret acts of support for the Allies go unpunished - until the March Coup, which made Hitler snap and order the attack.
Italy was toying with the idea of invading Yugoslavia in 1940 (some also wanted to invade Yugoslavia + Greece at the same time), but in the end Mussolini followed Hitler's line and didn't risk it.

So it's certainly possible, and the idea was already there. Not sure what the most plausible way to make it happen is, though.
 
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