Munoz, Antonio J. Hitler's Croatian Ally

The Croatian Army and the Battle for Yugoslavia 1941-1945

On 6 April 1941, Germany, together with Italy and Hungary, invaded Yugoslavia after the Yugoslav regent Prince Paul had been overthrown. Hitler wanted to secure his right flank for his impending invasion of the USSR and support Mussolini, who had been unable to conquer Greece. The German attack proceeded quickly, and on 17 April, Yugoslavia surrendered, leading to the establishment of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH). Ante Pavelic, leader of the fascist Ustasha organisation, was appointed head of state of Croatia. His government immediately began a brutal campaign of repression against non-Croats, especially Serbs. This sparked uprisings, with Serbian Chetnik bands and Croatian communists forming separate guerrilla movements. The Croatian state was soon overwhelmed by these uprisings. Italy further complicated the situation by creating occupation zones within Croatia, supporting Chetnik bands, and hindering Croatia's military efforts. The Croatian army, unable to fortify its territory due to Italian restrictions, was frequently attacked by Chetniks and forced to fight on two fronts. Despite these challenges, including inadequate armament and constant interference from its allies, Croatia maintained a fighting force that continued to battle until the bitter end of the war.