The soldier-premier caught between a coup and defeat
Dušan Simović was a Royal Yugoslav Army general who led the air force and served as chief of the General Staff. After helping overthrow the government in the coup of 27 March 1941, he became prime minister, yet stopped short of formally repudiating the Tripartite Pact while trying to avert a German attack. The invasion forced his government into exile, where internal conflict brought his dismissal in 1942. After the war he supported Tito's Partisans and testified at Mihailović's trial.
Career Timeline
- 1900Graduated from the Belgrade Military Academy, commissioned second lieutenant of artillery
- 1912–1918Served in the Balkan Wars and First World War; commanded the 7th Infantry Regiment on the Salonika Front
- 1918Serbian government and Supreme Command delegate to the National Council of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs in Zagreb
- 1936–1938Commander of the Royal Yugoslav Air Force
- 1938–1940Chief of the General Staff of the Royal Yugoslav Army; resigned after advocating resistance to a German attack
- 1941.3–1942.1Prime Minister and Chief of the General Staff after the 27 March coup
- 1941–1942Head of the Yugoslav government-in-exile in London
- 1945–1946Returned to Belgrade and testified at Mihailović's trial