10-22-2003, 08:12 AM
Bob,
You are right that since around 1950 no Yugoslav or ex-Yugoslav would admit to being liberated by the Red Army. And it is true as far as the fact that the Partisans, both the victorious Communists and the less victorious Mikhailovich ones, were here fighting for ages.
But they didn't really win anything themselves. They basically were able to tie down lots of Germans and to tread water and create a successor regime while the war went on.
The Germans left because in late-44/45 defending their Yugo gains was not high on their list of priorities. It would be a big stretch to say that the ugo partisans chased them out of the country.
The Red Army did deal with the few actual German formations and heavy gear left and then helped to transform the partisans into a real army. They also brought with them a small, but partially mechanised, Yugo military which did form the core of the later Yugo tank and mech units.
Shawn
You are right that since around 1950 no Yugoslav or ex-Yugoslav would admit to being liberated by the Red Army. And it is true as far as the fact that the Partisans, both the victorious Communists and the less victorious Mikhailovich ones, were here fighting for ages.
But they didn't really win anything themselves. They basically were able to tie down lots of Germans and to tread water and create a successor regime while the war went on.
The Germans left because in late-44/45 defending their Yugo gains was not high on their list of priorities. It would be a big stretch to say that the ugo partisans chased them out of the country.
The Red Army did deal with the few actual German formations and heavy gear left and then helped to transform the partisans into a real army. They also brought with them a small, but partially mechanised, Yugo military which did form the core of the later Yugo tank and mech units.
Shawn
