5th Army (Kingdom of Yugoslavia)

The 5th Army was a formation of the Royal Yugoslav Army raised prior to the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941. Its area of responsibility included the Adriatic coast from the Italian border down to the Albanian border, and its headquarters were located in Biograd. The 5th Army comprised one infantry division, two combined regiments (infantry and artillery), and several independent units.

Mobilization of the 5th Army was hampered by poor communication and a lack of resources, and it was never fully prepared for combat. Its initial role was to defend against a potential Italian attack from the west.

During the Axis invasion, the 5th Army faced attacks from the German 2nd Army and Italian forces. Elements of the army offered some resistance, but faced with overwhelming force and internal disorganization, it quickly disintegrated. Many soldiers deserted, and the army's command structure collapsed. After a few days of fighting, the 5th Army ceased to exist as a cohesive fighting force. Some of its remnants joined the general collapse of the Yugoslav Army, leading to the country's surrender on April 17, 1941.