Dušan Simović

Dušan Simović
18th Prime Minister of Yugoslavia
In office 27 March 1941 – 12 January 1942
Preceded by	Dragiša Cvetković
Succeeded by	Slobodan Jovanović
Personal details
Born	October 28, 1882(1882-10-28) Kragujevac, Serbia
Died	August 26, 1962(1962-08-26) (aged 79) Belgrade, Yugoslavia
Citizenship	Yugoslav
Occupation	Soldier, politician
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Service/branch	Royal Yugoslav Army
Rank	General of the Army

Dušan T. Simović (28 October 1882 — 26 August 1962) 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.

Life and career

Simović was born in Kragujevac. 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^{[clarification needed]} reaffirming Yugoslavia's intentions to fulfil its obligations as a member of the Axis.^[1] 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.^[2]

Political offices
Preceded by Dragiša Cvetković	Prime Minister of Yugoslavia 1941 – 1942	Succeeded by Slobodan Jovanović
Military offices
Preceded by Milutin Nedić	Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Royal Army 1938 – 1940	Succeeded by Petar Kosić
Preceded by Petar Kosić	Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Royal Army 1940 – 1941	Succeeded by Position abolished

References

1. ^ Germany and the 2nd World War Volume III:The Mediterranean, south-east Europe, and north Africa, 1939-1941, Gerhard Schreiber,Bernd Stegemann,Detlef Vogel, 1995, p.484
2. ^ Staff report (August 28, 1962). Gen. Simovic Dies; Yugoslav Leader; Headed Royal Government When Nazis Invaded in '41. New York Times

Persondata
Name	Simovic, Dusan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	28 October 1882
Place of birth	Kragujevac, Serbia
Date of death	26 August 1962
Place of death	Belgrade, Yugoslavia