The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state in Southeast Europe and Central Europe, that existed from 1918 until 1945. It was formed after World War I from the remnants of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and was intended to be a union of the South Slavic peoples including Serbs, Croats, Slovenes, Bosniaks, Montenegrins, and Macedonians.
The kingdom was established on December 1, 1918, when the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs merged with the Kingdom of Serbia to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. This name was changed to Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929 by King Alexander I to reflect the unity of the South Slavic nations.
The country faced numerous internal conflicts due to ethnic and political tensions:
During World War II, Yugoslavia was invaded and occupied by the Axis powers in 1941, leading to its partition:
The resistance movements, primarily the Yugoslav Partisans led by Josip Broz Tito, fought against the Axis occupation. After the war, the monarchy was abolished in November 1945, and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was proclaimed.
The interwar period saw some economic development, particularly in industry and infrastructure, but it was plagued by economic disparity among the regions. Cultural life was vibrant, with efforts to unify the diverse cultures under a Yugoslav identity.