Dušan Simovic
Encyclopedia
Dušan T. Simović was a Yugoslav
general who served as chief of the air force and commander-in-chief of the Royal Yugoslav Army
and as the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia
.
. He graduated from the military academy in Belgrade
in 1900. He earned an advance degree in 1905 and served in The Balkan Wars and World War I
. After World War I, he became heavily involved in aviation
and air defence, serving as commander of the Air Force from 1936 to 1938. Simović urged the government to accept his plan in the event of an attack by Nazi Germany
, and when his plan was rejected, he participated in the coup d’état against Dragiša Cvetković
.
After the coup Simović positioned Prime Minister reaffirming Yugoslavia's intentions to fulfil its obligations as a member of the Axis
. But Nazi Germany
did not trust him and invaded Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941. Simović fled the country with his family. After the end of the Yugoslav Front and the formation of Josip Broz Tito
's second Yugoslavia, he returned to Belgrade and went on to author a number of books on military issues. He died in Belgrade.
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
general who served as chief of the air force and commander-in-chief of the Royal Yugoslav Army
Royal Yugoslav Army
The Royal Yugoslav Army was the armed force of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from the state's formation until the force's surrender to the Axis powers on April 17, 1941...
and as the Prime Minister of Yugoslavia
Prime Minister of Yugoslavia
The Prime Minister or the President of the Federal Executive Council of Yugoslavia was the head of government of the Yugoslav state, from the creation of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918 until the end of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1992.-Kingdom of...
.
Life and career
Simović was born in KragujevacKragujevac
Kragujevac is the fourth largest city in Serbia, the main city of the Šumadija region and the administrative centre of Šumadija District. It is situated on the banks of the Lepenica River...
. He graduated from the military academy in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in 1900. He earned an advance degree in 1905 and served in The Balkan Wars and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After World War I, he became heavily involved in aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
and air defence, serving as commander of the Air Force from 1936 to 1938. Simović urged the government to accept his plan in the event of an attack by Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, and when his plan was rejected, he participated in the coup d’état against Dragiša Cvetković
Dragiša Cvetkovic
Dragiša Cvetković was a Yugoslav politician.He served as the prime minister of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1939 to 1941. He developed the federalization of Yugoslavia through the creation of the Banovina of Croatia by an agreement with Croatian leader Vladko Maček...
.
After the coup Simović positioned Prime Minister reaffirming Yugoslavia's intentions to fulfil its obligations as a member of the Axis
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
. But Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
did not trust him and invaded Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941. Simović fled the country with his family. After the end of the Yugoslav Front and the formation of Josip Broz Tito
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
's second Yugoslavia, he returned to Belgrade and went on to author a number of books on military issues. He died in Belgrade.