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| 1934, Oct. 9 |
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| ASSASSINATION OF KING ALEXANDER and Louis Barthou at Marseilles. The assassin was a Macedonian revolutionary, working with Croat revolutionists having headquarters in Hungary. The assassination led to danger of war between Yugoslavia and Hungary (deportations on both sides), which was finally avoided (Dec. 10) through the good offices of the League of Nations. | 1 |
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| 1934–45 |
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| KING PETER II (b. 1923). Prince Paul (cousin of Alexander) chief regent. | 2 |
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| 1935, May 5 |
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Despite police interference and widespread fraud, the opposition won 37.4 percent of the votes. The opposition boycotted the Skup tina. The regents reacted on June 23 by inviting Dr. Milan Stojadinovic, a member of the Radical Party, to form a cabinet. The new government was composed of Slovenes, Croats, and Muslims. Stojadinovic created a new government party, the Yugoslav Radical Union, and proceeded cautiously to relax censorship. On Dec. 1 the government issued a general amnesty for political offenses, affecting some 10,000 people. Attempts at agreement with the Croats were fruitless, however. | 3 |
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| 1936, May |
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| Conclusion of a barter agreement with Germany. This was made necessary by the falling-off of trade with Italy subsequent to Yugoslavia's imposition of sanctions during the Ethiopian crisis. Ever closer trade relations with Germany brought in their train a political rapprochement. | 4 |
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| 1939, Aug. 26 |
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| DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT WAS REESTABLISHED in Yugoslavia and new elections by secret ballot arranged for. The state was to be reorganized on a federal basis, the Croats receiving complete autonomy in all cultural and economic matters. Machek became vice premier, and five other Croats joined the cabinet. | 5 |
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| 1941, March 25 |
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| The Yugoslav government, under the regent Prince Paul, announced the adherence of Yugoslavia to the Axis pact. | 6 |
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| March 27 |
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| The government was overthrown by a military coup and the young king, Peter II, was installed. This defiant move led to an invasion of Yugoslavia (April 6) by German forces. Belgrade was occupied by the Germans on April 20. | 7 |
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