One of the last battles of World War II in Europe, fought six days after Germany's unconditional surrender.
Key Facts
- Date
- 14–15 May 1945
- Days after German surrender
- 6 days
- Axis column size
- 30,000 soldiers
- Location
- Near Prevalje, Yugoslavia (modern Slovenia)
- Axis destination
- Seeking surrender to British forces in Austria
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following Germany's unconditional surrender on 8 May 1945, a mixed column of approximately 30,000 Axis and collaborationist troops — including German Wehrmacht, Croatian Armed Forces, Slovene Home Guard, Cossack cavalry, and others — attempted to retreat through Yugoslavia to surrender to British forces in Austria rather than to Yugoslav partisans.
On 14 and 15 May 1945, the Yugoslav Army intercepted the retreating Axis column outside Poljana, near Prevalje in what was then Yugoslavia. The battle pitted Yugoslav forces against a diverse coalition of German, Croatian, Montenegrin, Serbian, Slovene, and Cossack units, making it one of the final armed confrontations of World War II on European soil.
The battle effectively ended organized Axis resistance in Yugoslavia. The collaborationist and Axis troops failed to reach British lines in Austria, and the engagement is regarded as among the very last military actions of World War II in Europe, occurring after the formal cessation of hostilities on the continent.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
5 belligerents