The Chetnik Units Of The Yugoslav Army In April War 1941 Cover Image

Četničke jedinice Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije u Aprilskom ratu
The Chetnik Units Of The Yugoslav Army In April War 1941

Author(s): Aleksandar Životić
Subject(s): History
Published by: Institut za savremenu istoriju, Beograd
Keywords: Yugoslavia; World War II; chetniks; April war

Summary/Abstract: On hte basis of the experiences of the Serbian Army form the Balkan and First Wolrd War, The Yugoslav Generalstaff in 1940 decided to create special „Chetnik“ units for the guerrila warfare. Knowing its Army inadequacy to match techincally superrior opponents, Yugoslav highest military cirlcles, decided to choose the guerrilla patterns for the resistance. They also counted on the mountainious terrain as ideal for such kind of resistance. Seven independent Chetnik (assault) batallions were formed and specially trained fot the guerrilla warfare. During the short April War in 1941, those Chetnik units operated separated for the main body of the Army, and occasionally performed well in combat. However, they faced the equall faith of the rest of the Yugoslav forces which capitulated on the 17th of April 1941. They did not continued with the planned resistance, after the defeatof the Yugoslav Army. Several of members of the Chetnik army units joined the resistance Yugoslav Army in Fatherland lead by the General Draža Mihailović.

  • Issue Year: 2011
  • Issue No: 1
  • Page Range: 39-47
  • Page Count: 9
  • Language: Serbian