31-08-2022, 04:39 PM
MISCONCEPTIONS ON WWII IN YUGOSLAVIA: THE THING NO ONE SHALL MENTION
Here it goes. This is a difficult subject, but it must be mentioned.
I am going to include two quotes, from some very different people, fighting on different sides:
“MIHAILOVIĆ AND CENTRAL NATIONAL COMITEE ARE NOW UNSHAKEABLY CONVINCED OF ACCURACY OF THIS FIGURE, AND BELIEVE TOTAL SERB CASUALTIES IN THIS WAR EXCEED 1,000,000. IT IS USELESS TO ATTEMPT TO SHARE THIS BELIEF BY PROPAGANDA.”
“WHEN USTASHA LEADERS SAY THEY HAVE SLAUGHTERED A MILLION ORTODOX SERBS – INCLUDING BABIES, CHILDREN, WOMEN AND OLD - I CONSIDER THIS BRAGGING. ACCORDING TO REPORTS THAT CAME TO ME, I ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF INNOCENT, UNARMED, BUTCHERED SERBS TO BE AROUND 750 000.”
It is somewhat horrifying to know that the first quote is from an ostensive ally, who does not believe you, while the other quote is from an enemy, who knows what is happening.
Indeed, judging from reading foreign literature and news, the fact that Serbs suffered a genocide in WWII is something that is a footnote, an unimportant thing, a Serb exaggeration. “Let’s talk about Tito instead.” This trend was started by the British, in late 1941. They kept a lid on the reports coming from Axis Croatia, labeling them as Serb propaganda.
But this genocide in Axis Croatia was THE event of the war in Yugoslavia. There is nothing quite like it. Without it, the actions of the Chetniks would be a mystery. Without it, there would be no Tito, and its consequences far outlived him.
But this is by no means the end of the suffering of the Serbs. It was not just the Ustashe, there were the Germans, other occupiers, and Communists. In a sense, they acted as a perfect storm, reinforcing each other: I WAS MORE CONCERNED THAT THE OCCUPIERS WANTED TO REMOVE USTASHE RULE IN PRIJEDOR, AND THAT THE REGULAR ARMY OF AXIS CROATIA TOOK OVER. IF THE OCCUPIERS CREATE A STATE WHERE “SERBS ARE TREATED BETTER” THE PEASANT MASSES COULD WAVER AND THIS COULD JEOPARDIZE OUR STRUGGLE! - Communist leader Svetozar Vukmanović Tempo, Revolucija koja teče (Revolution that Flows), 1971, Book 1, Page 239.
The Germans imposed a 100 for 1 reprisal policy in Serbia, which the Communists wanted to exploit. Kill a few Germans, they kill a few hundred Serbs, and you have total chaos. “AN INTACT VILLAGE ADDED TO THE STRENGHT OF MIHAILOVIĆ. A DESTROYED VILLAGE ADDED TO THE STRENGHT OF TITO.” - David Martin, The Web of Disinformation, page 41.
On top of that, the Communists implemented the Red Terror, from the start, in order to eliminate their enemies – officers, Orthodox priests, well-to-do people, undesirable intellectuals: DOCUMENTS COMPILED IN THIS BOOK CLEARLY SHOW THAT THAT THE “RED TERROR” WAS CAREFULLY PLANNED AND PREPARED FROM THE MOMENT WHEN, IN MID-1944, TITO AND HIS CLOSEST ADVISERS REALIZED THAT VICTORY IS WITHIN THEIR GRASP EVEN IN SERBIA. - S.Cvetković and N.Dević, OZNA – represija 1944-1946. (OZNA – repression 1944-1946), foreword by Leon Kojen.
As formulated by a German, Hermann Neubacher: “SERBS HAVE BECOME FAIR GAME, EVERYONE COULD OPRESS AND KILL THEM WITH IMPUNITY.”
This was the punishment for the Serbs standing up to Germany, and repudiating the Axis pact in March 1941. It is difficult to say just how many Serbs died. It can be safely said, however, that more Serbs died than either British or Americans. Had the old Serbian allies, such as Russia or France, endured, there might have been hope. Even the Italians provided some protection until 1943. But instead, the Serbs had the British and the Americans.
QUOTES:
Armstrong-Bailey Recommendations (November 1943) quoted in David Martin’s Web of Disinformation on page 316
H.Neubacher, Specijalni zadatak Balkan (Special Assignment Southeast), page 50
Here it goes. This is a difficult subject, but it must be mentioned.
I am going to include two quotes, from some very different people, fighting on different sides:
“MIHAILOVIĆ AND CENTRAL NATIONAL COMITEE ARE NOW UNSHAKEABLY CONVINCED OF ACCURACY OF THIS FIGURE, AND BELIEVE TOTAL SERB CASUALTIES IN THIS WAR EXCEED 1,000,000. IT IS USELESS TO ATTEMPT TO SHARE THIS BELIEF BY PROPAGANDA.”
“WHEN USTASHA LEADERS SAY THEY HAVE SLAUGHTERED A MILLION ORTODOX SERBS – INCLUDING BABIES, CHILDREN, WOMEN AND OLD - I CONSIDER THIS BRAGGING. ACCORDING TO REPORTS THAT CAME TO ME, I ESTIMATE THE NUMBER OF INNOCENT, UNARMED, BUTCHERED SERBS TO BE AROUND 750 000.”
It is somewhat horrifying to know that the first quote is from an ostensive ally, who does not believe you, while the other quote is from an enemy, who knows what is happening.
Indeed, judging from reading foreign literature and news, the fact that Serbs suffered a genocide in WWII is something that is a footnote, an unimportant thing, a Serb exaggeration. “Let’s talk about Tito instead.” This trend was started by the British, in late 1941. They kept a lid on the reports coming from Axis Croatia, labeling them as Serb propaganda.
But this genocide in Axis Croatia was THE event of the war in Yugoslavia. There is nothing quite like it. Without it, the actions of the Chetniks would be a mystery. Without it, there would be no Tito, and its consequences far outlived him.
But this is by no means the end of the suffering of the Serbs. It was not just the Ustashe, there were the Germans, other occupiers, and Communists. In a sense, they acted as a perfect storm, reinforcing each other: I WAS MORE CONCERNED THAT THE OCCUPIERS WANTED TO REMOVE USTASHE RULE IN PRIJEDOR, AND THAT THE REGULAR ARMY OF AXIS CROATIA TOOK OVER. IF THE OCCUPIERS CREATE A STATE WHERE “SERBS ARE TREATED BETTER” THE PEASANT MASSES COULD WAVER AND THIS COULD JEOPARDIZE OUR STRUGGLE! - Communist leader Svetozar Vukmanović Tempo, Revolucija koja teče (Revolution that Flows), 1971, Book 1, Page 239.
The Germans imposed a 100 for 1 reprisal policy in Serbia, which the Communists wanted to exploit. Kill a few Germans, they kill a few hundred Serbs, and you have total chaos. “AN INTACT VILLAGE ADDED TO THE STRENGHT OF MIHAILOVIĆ. A DESTROYED VILLAGE ADDED TO THE STRENGHT OF TITO.” - David Martin, The Web of Disinformation, page 41.
On top of that, the Communists implemented the Red Terror, from the start, in order to eliminate their enemies – officers, Orthodox priests, well-to-do people, undesirable intellectuals: DOCUMENTS COMPILED IN THIS BOOK CLEARLY SHOW THAT THAT THE “RED TERROR” WAS CAREFULLY PLANNED AND PREPARED FROM THE MOMENT WHEN, IN MID-1944, TITO AND HIS CLOSEST ADVISERS REALIZED THAT VICTORY IS WITHIN THEIR GRASP EVEN IN SERBIA. - S.Cvetković and N.Dević, OZNA – represija 1944-1946. (OZNA – repression 1944-1946), foreword by Leon Kojen.
As formulated by a German, Hermann Neubacher: “SERBS HAVE BECOME FAIR GAME, EVERYONE COULD OPRESS AND KILL THEM WITH IMPUNITY.”
This was the punishment for the Serbs standing up to Germany, and repudiating the Axis pact in March 1941. It is difficult to say just how many Serbs died. It can be safely said, however, that more Serbs died than either British or Americans. Had the old Serbian allies, such as Russia or France, endured, there might have been hope. Even the Italians provided some protection until 1943. But instead, the Serbs had the British and the Americans.
QUOTES:
Armstrong-Bailey Recommendations (November 1943) quoted in David Martin’s Web of Disinformation on page 316
H.Neubacher, Specijalni zadatak Balkan (Special Assignment Southeast), page 50