World War II in Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia fell on the 6th of April 1941 when German, Italian, and Hungarian forces invaded from all sides. Belgrade was bombed by the Luftwaffe in a campaign that lasted little more than ten days before the Royal Yugoslav Army surrendered unconditionally on the 17th of April. The terms of surrender were severe as Axis powers proceeded to dismember the country. Germany annexed northern Slovenia while retaining direct occupation over a rump Serbian state. Italy gained control of Kosovo, coastal areas of Dalmatia, and Montenegro. Hungary dispatched its Third Army to occupy Vojvodina and later annexed sections of Baranja and Bačka. Bulgaria moved in on the 19th of April 1941 to occupy nearly all of modern-day North Macedonia. A new puppet regime called the Independent State of Croatia emerged on the 10th of April under Ante Pavelić. This state extended over much of today's Croatia and contained all of modern Bosnia and Herzegovina. The government in exile was now only recognized by Allied powers while Axis allies claimed territorial acquisitions.
On the 22nd of June 1941, the day Germany attacked the Soviet Union, communist-led Partisans launched guerrilla warfare against Axis occupiers. Croatian communists formed the 1st Sisak Partisan Detachment just one day after receiving orders from Moscow-based Comintern. This detachment began resistance activities immediately by destroying telegraph poles and attacking municipal buildings in nearby villages. Josip Broz Tito chaired the Supreme Staff of the National Liberation Partisan Units of Yugoslavia which was established on the 4th of July 1941. The first liberated area known as the Miners Republic lasted 42 days in Stanulović mountain village. Early Partisan forces had two major advantages: a cadre of Spanish Civil War veterans and communist ideology that crossed national lines. These veterans brought experience with modern war fought in circumstances similar to those found in World War II Yugoslavia. TIGR members trained troops in Slovenia while Partisan units could expect support in almost any corner of the country unlike other formations limited to specific territories. People's committees were organized to act as civilian governments in areas liberated by Partisans where even limited arms industries were set up.
The Chetnik movement officially called the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland emerged under Colonel Draža Mihailović in mid-May 1941 within Ravna Gora district of western Serbia. Unlike Partisans, Mihailović's forces were almost entirely ethnic Serbs who initially resisted Axis invasion but later collaborated extensively with Italian occupation forces until Italian capitulation. In November 1941, Chetnik leader General Mihailović turned against Partisans as his main enemy claiming humanitarian reasons for preventing German reprisals against Serbs. British liaison advised London to stop supplying Chetniks after the Užice attack yet Britain continued providing support through 1942. Time Magazine featured an article in 1942 praising Mihailović's success and heralding him as sole defender of freedom in Nazi-occupied Europe. Both sides maintained mortal enmity toward Germans and Ustaše while Chetniks made clandestine deals with Italians. The First Anti-Partisan Offensive saw German troops reoccupy the Republic of Užice in November 1941 forcing majority of Partisan forces to escape toward Bosnia. Negotiations between Germans and Partisans started on the 11th of March 1943 in Gornji Vakuf where Tito's officers expressed concerns about Italian involvement in supplying Chetnik army.
Two major Axis offensives came close to defeating Partisans during first half of 1943 known by German code names Fall Weiss and Fall Schwarz. The Battle of Neretva took place from January to April 1943 when Axis forces pushed Partisan troops to retreat over the Neretva river into northern Herzegovina. The Fifth Enemy Offensive called Battle of Sutjeska included complete encirclement of Partisan forces in southeastern Bosnia and northern Montenegro during May and June 1943. Bulgarian infantry divisions blocked Partisan escape routes from Montenegro into Serbia while participating in Sixth anti-Partisan Offensive in Eastern Bosnia. Despite suffering significant casualties, Partisans remained courageous and aggressive against German 1st Mountain Division and 104th Light Division. British intelligence officer F.W.D. Deakin sent reports containing observations that Partisans required support after battling these units. British intercepts confirmed Chetnik timidity even though many circumstances remain unclear today. Intelligence reports resulted in increased Allied interest in Yugoslavia air operations and shifted policy toward supporting Partisans instead of Chetniks. By late 1943, the National Liberation Army was recognized as allied army at Tehran Conference for first time by all three Allied sides including United States.
Events in 1943 brought about change in attitude of Allies who until then had supported Mihailović's Chetnik Forces but were finally convinced of their collaboration through intelligence-gathering missions dispatched to both sides. Brigadier General Fitzroy Maclean was parachuted to Tito's headquarters near Drvar on the 25th of September 1943 to serve as permanent formal liaison to Partisans. While Chetniks still occasionally received supplies, Partisans gained bulk of all future support from Western Allies. The Yugoslav government headed by Prime Minister Tito became joint body formed of AVNOJ members and former government-in-exile in London. Resolution regarding whether new state would remain monarchy or become republic was postponed until end of war along with status of King Peter II. RAF Balkan Air Force was set up at suggestion of Maclean to provide increased supplies and tactical air support for Marshal Tito's Partisan forces. On the 16th of June 1944, Tito-Šubašić agreement between Partisans and Yugoslav Government in exile of Peter II was signed on island of Vis calling for merge of Partisan Anti-Fascist Council and Government in exile. This agreement called on all Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs to join Partisans while recognizing them as Yugoslavia's regular army.
On the 20th of March 1945, Partisans launched general offensive in Mostar-Višegrad-Drina sector commanding force of about 800,000 men organized into four armies under Peko Dapčević, Koča Popović, Kosta Nađ, and Petar Drapšin. Set against Yugoslav Partisans was German General Alexander Löhr of Army Group E which included seven weakened divisions including Cossack units and SS formations. The breakthrough of Syrmian front on the 12th of April proved greatest and bloodiest battle ever fought by their army according to Milovan Đilas. By the 9th of May 1945, Dapčević's NOV units reached Zagreb having lost perhaps as many as 36,000 dead while over 400,000 refugees filled the city. On the 1st of May after capturing Italian territories of Rijeka and Istria from German LXXXXVII Corps, Yugoslav 4th Army beat western Allies to Trieste by one day. Final operations continued through May with Battle of Poljana starting the 14th of May ending the 15th of May near Prevalje in Slovenia. This battle culminated series between Yugoslav Partisans and large mixed column exceeding 30,000 German soldiers together with Croatian Ustaše, Home Guard, and other anti-Partisan forces attempting retreat to Austria.
Non-combat victims included majority of country's Jewish population who perished in concentration camps like Jasenovac located some 100 km southeast of Zagreb. Ustasha regime committed genocide against Serbs numbering about two million using strategy purportedly to kill one-third expel one-third convert remaining one-third. First massacre occurred on the 28th of April 1941 in village Gudovac where nearly 200 Serbs were rounded up and executed. Germans devised formula where 100 hostages would be shot for every German soldier killed and 50 hostages for wounded soldier primarily targeting Jews and Serbian communists. Most notable examples were massacres in villages Kraljevo and Kragujevac during October 1941. Thousands of Serbs and Jews were massacred by Hungarian forces in region Bačka under pretext suppressing resistance activities. Partisan units engaged mass murder immediately postwar period against POWs and perceived Axis sympathizers including forced marches and execution of tens of thousands captured soldiers fleeing advance. Yugoslav government estimated casualties at 1,704,000 submitted figure to International Reparations Commission in 1946 without documentation while later study found total number killed was 597,323.
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Common questions
When did the Kingdom of Yugoslavia fall to Axis invasion forces?
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia fell on the 6th of April 1941 when German, Italian, and Hungarian forces invaded from all sides. Belgrade was bombed by the Luftwaffe in a campaign that lasted little more than ten days before the Royal Yugoslav Army surrendered unconditionally on the 17th of April.
Who led the communist-led Partisans during World War II in Yugoslavia?
Josip Broz Tito chaired the Supreme Staff of the National Liberation Partisan Units of Yugoslavia which was established on the 4th of July 1941. The first liberated area known as the Miners Republic lasted 42 days in Stanulović mountain village under his leadership.
What happened to Chetnik leader General Draža Mihailović after 1941?
In November 1941, Chetnik leader General Mihailović turned against Partisans as his main enemy claiming humanitarian reasons for preventing German reprisals against Serbs. British liaison advised London to stop supplying Chetniks after the Užice attack yet Britain continued providing support through 1942.
When did the Allies officially recognize the Yugoslav Partisans as an allied army?
By late 1943, the National Liberation Army was recognized as allied army at Tehran Conference for first time by all three Allied sides including United States. Brigadier General Fitzroy Maclean was parachuted to Tito's headquarters near Drvar on the 25th of September 1943 to serve as permanent formal liaison to Partisans.
How many people died during World War II in Yugoslavia according to official estimates?
Yugoslav government estimated casualties at 1,704,000 submitted figure to International Reparations Commission in 1946 without documentation while later study found total number killed was 597,323. Non-combat victims included majority of country's Jewish population who perished in concentration camps like Jasenovac located some 100 km southeast of Zagreb.