Croatian Armed Forces (Independent State of Croatia)

Not to be confused with Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.

The Croatian Armed Forces were the armed forces of the Independent State of Croatia which were formed in 1944 with the uniting of the Croatian Home Guard and the Ustaše militia forces.

The Army of the Independent State of Croatia (Croatian: Hrvatske oružane snage, HOS) was reorganized in November 1944 to combine the units of the Ustaše and Croatian Home Guard into eighteen divisions, comprising 13 infantry, two mountain, two assault and one replacement Croatian divisions, each with its own organic artillery and other support units. There were also several armoured units. From early 1945, the Croatian divisions were allocated to various German corps and by March 1945 were holding the Southern Front.[1] Securing the rear areas were some 32,000 men of the Croatian Gendarmerie (Hrvatsko Oružništvo), organised into 5 police volunteer regiments plus 15 independent battalions, equipped with standard light infantry weapons, including mortars.[2]

By the end of March, 1945, it was obvious to the Croatian Army command that, although the front remained intact, they would eventually be defeated by sheer lack of ammunition. For this reason, the decision was made to retreat into Austria, in order to surrender to the British forces advancing north from Italy.[3] These forces remained in being until their surrender to the British Army around Bleiburg, Austria, in 1945.

Contents

Marching order at end of 1944

Commanders' fates

Executed

Unclear

Emigrated

Committed suicide

References

  1. ^ Thomas, 1995, p.17
  2. ^ Thomas, 1995, p.30
  3. ^ Shaw, 1973, p.101

Sources

Collaborationist states
Political organizations
Collaborators
Military organizations
Croatian Armed Forces
White Guards · Slovene Home Guard · Legion of Death · Upper Carniola Home Guard · Slovene National Security Force · Anti-Communist Volunteer Militia