[Андреја Вражалић]

MISCONCEPTIONS ON WWII IN YUGOSLAVIA – A FEW WORDS ON “THE NARRATIVE”

         

When you get to read about the Yugoslav WWII history, you see a narrative along the lines of: Tito Great, Germans can’t beat him, Chetniks weak/bad, and Italians and/or Ustashe might get a short mention. This is neatly packed into the Neretva/Sutjeska films of Hollywood quality, and even some actual Hollywood films – and you know films trump books any day of the week. And The Narrative is quite interesting, and reads like a Western or Boy’s Adventure story.

 

When you, however, continue to read more books, and even some documents (albeit carefully chosen by our Friendly Neighborhood Party Censors), you kinda get a bit suspicious of The Narrative. Things get a little bit more complicated, greyish. Dare I say it: you even start entertaining thoughts that The Narrative is complete B.S.

 

Just to test The Narrative a little bit, I decided to play around with the names and places – just a bit, to confirm its soundness.

 

Here it goes:

 

-         Germany and Italy occupy Britain in 1940 and the King and Government flee to Canada.

 

-         The Germans and Italians split the country, and install a virulently fash puppet government in (enlarged) Scotland.

 

-         The remnants of the British Army are scattered, but are slowly being organized by a certain colonel Montgomery, who vowed to continue resistance as the leader of the Home Army. The people affectionately call him “Monty”, while Churchill appoints him as the C-in-C of the British Army.

 

-         The Anglican Church sends out reports that the Axis Scotland seems to be violently “repressing” the English, avenging old wrongs. Americans think this is overblown. On the other hand, the Gestapo confirms that about a Million English have perished in the first year, in very nasty ways.

 

-         The Germans turn a blind eye. The Italians, being gentler souls, are somewhat horrified by this, and stop it in their occupation zone.

 

-         Colonel Montgomery tries to organize help to the repressed English, and sends several of his detachments to combat Axis Scotland forces in a bloody ethnic struggle, showing his true English chauvinist colors.

 

-         Germany invades the USSR, and the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB) immediately calls for a massive revolt, and form their Partisan Army, led by the enigmatic, charismatic leader with a strong foreign accent – TITO.

 

-         This immediately stirs up the English (immediately as in 2 months), and forces the weakling Montgomery to reluctantly join the revolt against the Germans, citing that the revolt will fail without US help, and that helping the North of England is in any case more urgent. It is obvious he is a borderline collaborator, and afraid of the CPGB’s popularity. Ultimately, he gives in, and approves the revolt. It just so happens that the revolt now becomes massive and the Home Army takes over the first town from the Germans, but this was accidental.

 

-         CPGB sets up a Soviet Republic behind the front lines in German-vacated Manchester – a highly popular move, because we all know the English were fed up by the monarchy by 1940. And they shoot some collaborators. About 6.000 in the first round, give or take a few.

 

-         This causes the reactionary Montgomery to accuse them of wanting to institute communism in Britain. Thus, it is obvious that he is to blame for the coming civil war.

 

-         The Germans send in reinforcements and decide to shoot 100 English for every German killed, 50 for every wounded. Germans being Germans, actually do what they said they will do, and kill some 60.000 civilians.

 

-         The treasonous Montgomery, pathetically wanting to end reprisals, and sandwiched between the Partisans and Germans, talks to both. This means he is a collaborator! Actually, the Yankee mission located with Montgomery is not of the same opinion, but they will get around it soon enough, when they discover Montgomery is cozying up with the Italians, always with the lame excuse that they protect English civilians, and that the Yanks send almost no help.

 

-         The temporarily displaced Partisans march over to the chaotic North England, occupied by Axis Scotland, and set up residence there. The Yanks and Germans note that they go along splendidly with the Scots, who start joining the Partisans, because they both understand everything was caused by centuries of English aristocratic and bourgeois oppression. And, of course, they beat up on the Home Army every time they meet.

 

-         In time, the Yankee missions realize that TITO is the real active leader of the resistance, while Montgomery is weak and vacillating, always asking when the Americans will land in England, in order to start a full revolt. Contrast that to TITO, who always says that there is no need whatsoever for Americans to land, and cares not for English civilian casualties (reaching by that point anywhere from 1.5 to 3 Million – but that is the price US is willing to pay).

 

-         Yankees decide it is useless to send help to Montgomery (not that they actually sent him anything), and send copious amounts of aid, instructors, weapons and air support to TITO, who is immensely popular with the people (US and USSR propaganda helped this a bit, of course), and has a huge Partisan Army, not like that loser Montgomery. Partisans now have more automatic weapons than the Germans, and are the bestest guerilla army ever.

 

-         And the Yanks knew they were right all along for supporting TITO, because they now heard that some of Montgomery’s commanders are in cahoots with the Germans, who supply them with ammunition. Yes, Montgomery has no other option if he wants to save England from communism, and, yes, he does rescue some 1.500 US airmen from the Germans, but that is neither here nor there.

 

-         However, it seems our boy TITO got slightly stalled at liberating England from the Germans. Some reports say he is not even able to defeat Montgomery. But no worries, the Yanks remove Churchill and force the King to disavow Montgomery, and the Soviet tanks landed to kick out the Germans and install TITO in London. And yes, he institutes a bit of the Red Terror, shoots some collaborators (meaning his opponents) - hundreds of thousands to be exact - but they had it coming.

 

-         United Kingdom became the Federal Socialist Republic of Britain, with England subdivided into several smaller Republics, because, as we all know “A Weak England Means Strong Britain”.

              

Sounds totally legit to me.

 

[Андреја Вражалић]

MISCONCEPTIONS ON WWII IN YUGOSLAVIA: BRITISH AS A RELIABLE SOURCE

Here are some quotes from the official Maclean Blockbuster Report of November 6, 1943, which was allegedly instrumental for Allies to fully support Partisans:
- They [Partisans] count on not losing more than one man killed for five of the enemy against Germans and ten against Ustasi or Chetniks;
- They have received the whole-hearted support of the civil population;
- The latest information gives the number of [Partisan] divisions as 26 and the total number of troops as 220,000... [of which] 30,000 in Serbia and Macedonia. (it seems Churchill inflated that number to 300,000).
- Religious toleration prevails.
- Nor are there any signs of class warfare.
- [Jugoslave Communists]... have not found it necessary to persecute and thereby alienate whole sections of the population...
- ...the Royal Jugoslav Government, or Government of Traitors and Deserters, as they are known in their own country, has earned the same degree of hatred as is felt for Mihailovic himself.
- In the matters of military effectiveness, there can clearly be no comparison between the Partisans and Chetniks. The partisans are between 10 and 20 times more numerous, infinitely better organized, better equipped and better disciplined.
- Moreover, they fight the Germans, while the Chetniks either help the Germans or do nothing.

If you do not know anything about WWII Yugoslavia, and find the Maclean Report believable, there will be more posts later, debunking the items from the Report. If you are indeed knowledgeable on WWII in Yugoslavia and find the Report (or anything said by the British) plausible, I have several bridges in Belgrade for sale. For a very modest price, of course.

What was the purpose of this report? To pave the way for the betrayal of an Allied Government, which will place several days later, at Tehran:
The British Government now found themselves in an awkward situation. Morally, they were under a definite obligation to King Peter, who had thrown in his lot with Great Britain in her hour of need, and politically they were committed to his Government with whom they were in diplomatic relations. Maclean, p.404

[Андреја Вражалић]

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

[Андреја Вражалић]

MISCONCEPTIONS ON WWII IN YUGOSLAVIA: ALL YUGOSLAVS RESISTED

The notion I have formed, while speaking to various history buffs and gamers, is that there is something of a narrative formed on WWII in Yugoslavia, based on several talking points. The problem I see with this, is that these talking points closely resemble the narrative I am familiar from my youth in Communist Yugoslavia, made for political purposes, and enshrined in Communist Yugoslav movies. The problem with this narrative is that it is bunk.

Let me start by the first cornerstone in this narrative, which is that the Yugoslav Peoples (under the inspired leadership of the Communist Party, of course), resisted the Evil Axis, and its Treacherous Local Collaborators (meaning anyone who was not a communist sympathizer). Ergo, the WWII in Yugoslavia was formally called the National Liberation War of the Peoples of Yugoslavia.

Ok, so far, so good. And it is quite true that the resistance forces (two, actually) featured some participation of every Yugoslav ethnicity. So, for instance, if this participation was roughly proportional, the Germans, occupying the north part of Yugoslavia, would evenly spread their forces, to control all Yugoslavs in their occupation zone.
It would be the sensible thing to do. Am I right, or am I right?

Well…
…I ALSO THINK THAT FOUR DIVISIONS OF THE 15TH WAVE, WHICH ARE UNDER HIGH COMMAND 65, OF WHICH THREE ARE IN AREA OF SERBIA, AND ONE IN CROATIA [NB: ACTUALLY IN TODAY’S BOSNIA, WHICH WAS ANNEXED AT THE TIME TO THE NAZI-ALLIED CROATIAN STATE] LACK SUFFICIENT STRENGTH IN NUMBERS, WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING TO QUICKLY AND DECISIVELY SUPPRESS THE INSURRECTION.
(Feldmarschall List, 8 September 1941, Collection of Documents of the National Liberation War, Tome XII-2, page 1006, quoted from Miloslav Samardžić The Serbs against the Wehrmacht, page 25)

I guess that the Germans knew something I did not. Why else would they concentrate all their forces in territories populated by Serbs? Why would they implement a reprisal policy of 100 for 1 in (Inner) Serbia?

A quick glance at the maps of the insurrection in 1941, and the Serbian ethnic territory shows that the Germans were far from naïve. It seems that the uprising in 1941 predominantly flared up on territories populated by Serbs.

Not to go too much into details, as the map shows, Yugoslavia was quite ethnically divided, which is the probably the reason it comprehensively failed the stress test in 1941 (and 1991). Some ethnic groups actually welcomed the Germans, because they did not like being in “Serb-Dominated” Yugoslavia. On the contrary, Serbs, and Slovenes, were quite anti-German (something on that subject can be found in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNTIjfpR53s), while those other ethnicities were favored by the Germans.

Long story short, the trope of “Yugoslav Resistance” becomes somewhat grounded in reality only in very late 1943, after it was clear that Germany was losing – so as to make it irrelevant. Until then, the resistance forces were mostly made up of ethnic Serbs (and I would add some notable Slovenes). Some people link this to being anti-fash, but I do not think this has to do with ideology – Serbs just hate occupiers, that’s all. And there is also the Thing No One Shall Mention.