Out of Context — The Yugoslav Government in London 1941-1945

Abstract

When King Peter II and the nucleus of the Yugoslav government arrived in London at the end of June 1941 to join the gathering of emigre Allied leaders, they were received as heroes. Deprived as they were of the usual material assets of government, they found moral assets waiting for them in England, in other words the credit due to them for having sacrificed all to defy Hitler. 'Regardless of what political realists and those benefiting from hindsight might say, the event of March 27, 1941 won universal admiration.'1 The events in the Balkans during February-April 1941, added to the Italian defeats in Africa, had given the British the brief illusion of being able to tackle the conquering might of the Axis, an illusion which had also been felt in the enemy camp. The bold about-turn in Belgrade had contributed much to the illusion. (The several risings in occupied Yugoslavia over the following summer were to be seen as a natural sequel.) Such was the cause of British gratitude and goodwill, which was fixed, in particular, on the romanticized persons of the young King, symbol of his country's struggle to keep its freedom in alliance with Great Britain, and of General Dusan Simovic, his prime minister and apparent leader of the March coup. The exiled Council of Ministers under them was anyhow impressive as a broadly based coalition of all parties that strove for a solution of Yugoslavia's problems within the restraints of a representative system. The new administration assembled under