Figure 1.-- These boys werevin the 19th Division of the Partizan Army. Here they are manning a highwat control point in 1944. At the tine the Division was involved in operations liberaring Istra (part of pre-War Italy) and Dalmatia (seized by Italy). Notice how well uniformed the Partisans are. Also note the boy has both a sub-machine gun and a pistol. Also notice the sun glasses. (Tito was very fashion conscious and liked elaborate uniforms and sun glasses.) The Germans which seized Yugoslavia with the loss of only about 100 men eventually had to commit over a million men to the Balkans campaign.

Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union were the only two countries which were the Resistance was able to carry out sustained military opertions against the NAZIs. The Partisans initiated small-scale attacks on the occupiers (July 1941). They achieved some localized success and liberated areas of western Serbia (October 1941). They declared the Republic of Užice. The NAZIs launched an offensive to restablish control of the area (November 1941). Much of the Partisan force managed to escape into Bosnia. At this time the tenous cooperation between the Parisans and Chetniks to disolve into actual fighting. The Partisans formed the 1st Proletarian Brigade (December 22). This was the "regular" unit capable of conducting operations outside their own immediate area. Gradually the Partisans grew in strength and organized more roubust forces capable of larger-scale attacks. These and other regular units and partisan detachments merged into the PLA/PDY (NOV i POJ) (1942). The partisans in Dalmatia even a naval unit using the many fishing boats (September 1942). They were eventually able to launch atacks on the Italian Navy and Kriegsmarine as well as limited amphibious operations. The Partisans launched air attacks (May 1942). Two Croatian NDH pilots (Franjo Kluz i Rudi Cajevec) defected to the partisans in Bosnia. The limited facilities in Partisan controlled areas made this a short-term action. Partisans were later able to launch sustained air operations (1944). The British Royal Air Force provided aircraft, equipment and training. The NAZIs became increasingly focused on the growing Partisan strength. The Chetniks began to see them as a greater threat than the NAZIS and Italians. The NAZIs launched seven major anti-partisan Offensives. The most important were combined Wehrmacht, SS )including Bosnian and Kosovo Muslims), Fascist Italy, Ustaše, Chetniks and Bulgarian operations. These included the 4th Offensive, the Fall Weiss (Plan White) or the Battle of Neretva and the 5th Operation, Schwarz (Black) or the Battle of Sutjeska. NAZI defeats outside the Balkans undermined the German militaqry situation in Yugoslavia during 1943. The Soviet victory at Kursk (July 1943) allowed them to regain the Ukraine and then prepare an offensive into the Balkans. The Allies invaded Italy (September 1943). The Italians surrendered. The NAZIs seized control of Italy and resisted the Allied invasion. They also seized control of the Italian occupation areas in Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia. Before accomplishing this, some Italian units went over to the Partisans or provided them substatial quantities of arms and supplies. This meant that the Wehrmacht occupation forces were more severly strached than ever and faced a much netter armed Partisan force. The military situation in the Balkans changed dramtically (1944). The Soviets liberated Romania and Bulgaria. This put them in position to attack into Yugoslavia. NAZI reverses on the Eastern Front and the D-Day landings in the West forced the Wehrmacht to begin withdrawing from Greece and Yugoslavia. The Allied victories in Italy also provided air bases which could support the Partisans. Much of the Partisan struggke had been fought in Bosnia since fall of the Republic of Užice in 1941. The Partisans began the liberatiin of Serbia (mid 1944). A joint Partisan-Red Army offensive liberated Belgrade (October 1944). The Patisans soon controlled eastern Yugoslavia (Serbia, Vardar Macedonia and Montenegro, as well as parts of Croatia--the Dalmatian coast (December 1944). This left Slovenia and much of Croatia in NAZI hands. The Partisan's final offensive defeated the combined Ustaše and Wehrmacht forces, The Partisans broke through at Syrmia. They took Sarajevo (April 1945). The remainder of Croatia and Slovenia fell (mid-May 1945). They then liberated Rijeka and Istria which had been part of Italy before the war. Finally they moved on Trieste, arrivung a day before the Allies. Trieste would prove a bone of contention in the post-War settlement.

NAZI Invasion (April 1941)

The NAZI Blitzkrieg on Yugoslavia succeeded in only 10 days. I do not fully understand how they could have been so successful. The assault began with ashattering air assault on Belgrade. One factor was ethnic divisions within the country, especially in Croatia. But Serb resistabce was also ineffective. Certainly the Germans had overwealming force, but still 12 days seems startling. The Yugoslav Army surrendered (April 17). Various parts of Yugoslsavia were occupied by different Axis invading armies. The bulk of the actual fighting was done by the German Wehrmacht and Luftwaffe. But Germany;s Axis parners were awarded a share of defeated Yugoslavia. The Germans occupied Serbia and Slovenia. The Italians took parts of Croatia (Dalmatia), Montenegro and Slovenia. The Bulgarians took Macedonia. The Hungarians occupied Vojvodina. The later tried to enter in Croatia but were expelled. Te Croatians declared their independence (April 10). This was acceptable to the NAZIs and Fascists which had been supporting local Fascists before the War.

Republic of Užice (July-October 1941)

Yugoslavia and the Soviet Union were the only two countries which were the Resistance was able to carry out sustained military opertions against the NAZIs. The Partisans initiated small-scale attacks on the occupiers (July 1941). They achieved some localized success and liberated areas of western Serbia (October 1941). They declared the Republic of Užice.

NAZI Offensive (November 1941)

The NAZIs launched an offensive to restablish control of the area (November 1941). Much of the Partisan force managed to escape into Bosnia.

Partisans and Chetniks

At this time the tenous cooperation between the Parisans and Chetniks to disolve into actual fighting.

Partisan Military Units

The Partisans formed the 1st Proletarian Brigade (December 22). This was the "regular" unit capable of conducting operations outside their own immediate area. Gradually the Partisans grew in strength and organized more roubust forces capable of larger-scale attacks. These and other regular units and partisan detachments merged into the PLA/PDY (NOV i POJ) (1942). The partisans in Dalmatia even a naval unit using the many fishing boats (September 1942). They were eventually able to launch atacks on the Italian Navy and Kriegsmarine as well as limited amphibious operations. The Partisans launched air attacks (May 1942). Two Croatian NDH pilots (Franjo Kluz i Rudi Cajevec) defected to the partisans in Bosnia. The limited facilities in Partisan controlled areas made this a short-term action. Partisans were later able to launch sustained air operations (1944). The British Royal Air Force provided aircraft, equipment and training.

Anti-Partisan Offensives (1942-43)

The NAZIs became increasingly focused on the growing Partisan strength. The Chetniks began to see them as a greater threat than the NAZIS and Italians. The NAZIs launched seven major anti-partisan Offensives. The most important were combined Wehrmacht, SS )including Bosnian and Kosovo Muslims), Fascist Italy, Ustaše, Chetniks and Bulgarian operations. These included the 1) 4th Offensive, 2) the Fall Weiss (Plan White) or the Battle of Neretva and 3) the 5th Operation, Schwarz (Black) or the Battle of Sutjeska.

Overall Military Situation

NAZI defeats outside the Balkans undermined the German militaqry situation in Yugoslavia during 1943. The Soviet victory at Kursk (July 1943) allowed them to regain the Ukraine and then prepare an offensive into the Balkans. The Allies invaded Italy (September 1943). This compromised the German position in the Balkans and as the Soviets advanced increased the danger of cutting off the Germans in the Balkans from the Reich.

Italian Surender (September 1943)

The Italians surrendered (September 1943). Hitler had not trusted the Italians and had German forces prepared. The NAZIs seized control of Italy and resisted the Allied invasion of the Italian peninsula. The Germans also seized control of the Italian occupation areas in Greece, Albania, and Yugoslavia. This had several adverse consequences for the Germans. Before accomplishing this, some Italian units went over to the Partisans or provided them substatial quantities of arms and supplies. This meant that the Wehrmacht occupation forces were more severly streached than ever and faced a much better armed Partisan force.

Liberation of Yugoslavia (1944-45)

Unlike the rest of Eastern Europe, the Yugoslavs were actually liberated rather than exchanging NAZI for Soviet tyranny. It was the Communist Partisans that suceeded in liberting Yugoslavia, but largely because the Soviet Red rmy and the Western Allies sucessfully demolished the German war machine. Even so, the war in Yigoslavia was the most complicated of all the World war II beligerants, because it was three wars in one. The first war was the war between the Facscist occupiers (Germny and Italy) and Yugoslavia. The second war was the vicious war between the the various ethnic groups in Yugoslvia (Croats, Muslims, Slovenes, Serbs, and others) as well as the NAZI Holocaust aginst the Jews). The third war was ovr the future of the country fought out between the different resistanbce groups, primarily the multi-ethnic Communist Partisans and the Serb-dominted Royalist Chetniks. the Partisans emerged the victors becuse they were able to generate broad multi-ethnic appeal and they were able to obtain support from both the Soviets and Western Allies. The Partisans managed to liberate substantial areas of the country (1943). It was the Allied destruction of the German 7th Army in France (July 1944) and the Soviet destruction of Army Group Center in Poland (June-August 1944) that made possible the liberation of the Balkans. With the Reich itseld threatened, OKS ordered a withdrawl from the Balkans as the Red Army advance into Romania threatened to cut off German forces (September 1944). Even Hitler could not disagree. The withdrawl began in secret from Greece, but was in full swing by October. There were not any major bttles as the Germans were intent on one thing, withdrawing north and getting back to the Reich. The Germans fought only if attacked by the Partisans or were in danger of being cut off. he Partisans with Red Army assiatance liberated Belgrade (October 20). The Yugoslav Partisans were thus able to expel the Axis from Serbia (Fall and Winter 1944) and the north of Yugoslavia (Spring 1945. The Red Army provided some limited assistance, especilly with the liberation of Belgrade and unlike the rest of Eastern Europe, withdrew after the war. The Partisans linked up with the advancing Allied forces bryond the borders of pre-War Yugoslabia (May 1945). The Partisans had moved into Trieste and parts of the southern Austrian provinces of Styria and Carinthia. The Partisans withdrew from Trieste (June 1945).

Sources

Springer, Zvonko. "D-DAY's 50th Anniversary" (February 23, 1994).

Created: 12:51 AM 12/10/2006
Last updated: 7:01 PM 11/11/2014