Battle of Sutjeska

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Battle of Sutjeska
Part of the Yugoslav Front of World War II

Monument commemorating the Battle of Sutjeska in Tijentište, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Date May 15 – June 16, 1943
Location Near Sutjeska river, southeastern Bosnia
Result Offensive failed (partisan HQ not eliminated), heavy partisan casualties
(in ex-Yugoslav sources: the top success of counterrevolution)
Belligerents
Yugoslav Partisans Germany

Italy
Independent State of Croatia
Bulgaria[1][2][3]
Commanders
Josip Broz Tito Alexander Löhr
Rudolf Lüters
Strength
18,000 men 127,000 men
300+ airplanes
Casualties and losses
6,391 Unknown
v • d • e
Yugoslav Front of World War II

The Battle of Sutjeska (Bosnian, Croatian, Serbian: Bitka na Sutjesci) from 15 May to 16 June 1943 was a joint attack by the Axis which aimed to destroy the main Yugoslav Partisan force, near the Sutjeska river in south-eastern Bosnia. The failure of the offensive marked a turning point for Yugoslavia during World War II.
The Germans code-named the plan Fall Schwarz (German: Case Black), while it is generally known as the Fifth anti-Partisan offensive. In ex-Yugoslav terminology the operation is also known as the Fifth enemy offensive (Peta neprijateljska ofenziva/ofanziva). It immediately followed Fall Weiss (Case White) which had failed in accomplishing the same objectives: to crush the Partisan army and capture their leader, Josip Broz Tito, also known by his Comintern codename as "Walter".

Contents

[edit] Operation

The Axis rallied 127,000 land troops for the offensive, including German, Italian, NDH, Bulgarian and Cossack (in ex-Yugoslav sources also called: "Čerkezi") units, and over 300 airplanes, under German operative command, against 18,000 soldiers of Yugoslav National Liberation Army operational group in 16 brigades. After a period of troop concentration, the offensive started on 15 May 1943. The Axis troops used the advantage of better starting positions to encircle and isolate the partisans on the Durmitor mountain area, located between the Tara and Piva rivers in the mountainous areas of northern Montenegro and forced them to engage in a fierce month-long battle on waste territory.

On June 9th, Tito was nearly killed, as a bomb fell near the leading group and wounded him in the arm. The popular post-war report of the event credited Tito's German shepherd dog Luks, for sacrificing his life to save Tito's.

Facing almost exclusively German troops, the Yugoslav National Liberation Army (YNLA) finally succeeded in breaking out across the Sutjeska river through the lines of the German 118th and 104th Jäger and 369th (Croatian) Infantry divisions in the northwestern direction, towards Eastern Bosnia. Three brigades and the central hospital with over 2000 wounded were surrounded. Following Hitler's instructions, German commander in chief General Alexander Löhr ordered and carried out their annihilation, including the wounded and the unarmed medical personnel. In addition, YNLA troops suffered from severe lack of food and medical supplies, and many were struck down by typhoid.

In total there were 6,391 partisan casualties, more than a third of the initial force. The German commander in field, general Rudolf Lüters in his final report described the so-called "communist rebels" as "well organized, skillfully lead and with combat morale unbelievably high".

Immediately after the breakout, YNLA regrouped and mounted a counteroffensive in Eastern Bosnia, clearing Axis garrisons of Vlasenica, Srebrenica, Olovo, Kladanj and Zvornik in the following 20 days.

The battle marked a turning point toward Allied control of Yugoslavia, and became an integral part of the Yugoslav post-war mythology, celebrating the self-sacrifice, extreme suffering and moral firmness of the partisans.

[edit] Order of Battle

[edit] Allied order of battle[4]

Yugoslav Partisans (Partisans Main Operational Group)

  • 1st Proletarian Division
  • 2nd Proletarian Division
  • 3rd Assault Division
  • 7th Banija Division
  • 3rd Dalmatian Brigade
  • 3rd Battalion, 4th Proletarian Brigade
  • 2nd and 4th Battalions, 5th Montenegrin Brigade

[edit] Axis order of battle[5]

Germany

Flag of Italy Italy

  • 1st Mountain Division 'Taurinense'
  • 19th Infantry (Mountain) Division 'Venezia'
  • 23rd Infantry Division 'Ferrara'
  • 32nd Infantry Division 'Marche'
  • 151st Infantry Division 'Perugia'
  • 154th Infantry Division 'Murge'
  • forces of Sector Podgorica

Independent State of Croatia

  • 4th Home Guard Jäger Brigade

Bulgaria

  • 63rd Infantry Regiment
  • 61st Infantry Regiment also in the area (both units under the command of the 369th Division)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ J. B. Tito, The Yugoslav Road, 99
  2. ^ Slobodan Nešović, Yugoslav-Bulgarian Relations, 1941-1945, 95
  3. ^ Jozo Tomašević, The Chetniks, 199
  4. ^ Operation SCHWARZ - NOVJ Main Operation Group - Order of Battle
  5. ^ Operation SCHWARZ - Axis Order of Battle

[edit] External links