Croatian Axis Forces in WWII

On December 1st 1918, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes was proclaimed, a creation of the Treaty of Versailles. This new country was to unite the Southern Slav peoples of the Balkans into an equal federation, under the Serbian Royal family's rule. Part of this new state was Croatia, whose people had enjoyed a great deal of autonomy under the rule of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until its dissolution at the end of WWI. The Croats were not asked whether they were interested in joining this new state, this was decided for them. At first, this country of Southern Slavs did not seem like such a bad idea to the Croats, but it quickly became clear to most that this Versailles creation was not a federation of equals, but rather a political creation that excused Serbian expansionism. This disenchantment brought resistance by the Croats, firstly pacifist and political. This was answered by the abolition of the country's constitution in 1929, and the establishment of an absolutist dictatorship by the King. The country was also re-named Yugoslavia.

The dictatorship caused the creation of a Croatian separatist group - the Ustasha (roughly translated as "Rebel" or "Upriser"). Led by Dr. Ante Pavelic, a Croatian lawyer, the Ustashe demanded an independant homeland for the Croatian people. They received financial and military assistance from Fascist Italy and Hungary, both of whom were hungry for a piece of Yugoslavia. The Ustashe organized an armed insurgency against the Yugoslav government, and commenced with an assasination and bombing campaign. In 1934, they managed (with the help of a Macedonian anti-Yugoslav party, the VMRO) to assassinate Yugoslavian King Aleksander, while he was in Marseille, France.

On April 6th 1941, Germany invaded Yugoslavia. Most of the population of Croatia greeted the Germans as liberators. The Ustashe took the opportunity, and on April 10th 1941, while the battles for Yugoslavia were still being waged, Yugoslav Colonel and secret Ustasha Slavko Kvaternik announced in Zagreb (Croatian capital) the formation of an "Independant State of Croatia" (Nezavisna Drzava Hrvatska in the Croatian language - "NDH"). Ante Pavelic was declared the "Poglavnik" (Leader) of the new state, while Kvaternik became the Commander-in-Chief of the Croatian Armed Forces (of course, at that time still non-existant). These armed forces would be definitely required, as a Communist uprising, led by Josip Broz "Tito", would soon plunge the new state into a horrible civil war. On the next day, April 11th 1941, an order creating the "Hrvatsko Domobranstvo" (Croatian Homedefense) was issued. The Domobranstvo was to consist of an Army, Navy, Airforce, Gendarmerie, Railway Security and Labour Service. Over the years of war, the Domobranstvo (mostly conscript) would prove to be of dubious quality and loyalty. At times, they would fight like lions, other times they would desert or surrender en masse. The Ustasha Party also formed an armed force (a Croatian version of the Waffen SS) called the "Ustashka Vojnica". The Ustashe were highly motivated (mostly volunteers), and quickly earned a reputation for fanatical bravery, as well as brutality. They never gave, nor asked for mercy.

From the very beginning, the Croatian military was plagued by a lack of equipment and weapons, especially heavy weapons and armour. Artillery battalions had, for example, only 2 batteries, instead of the usual 3-4 batteries. Armoured units were few, and they had no tanks, only a few tankettes and armoured cars.

The meddling of Italy in Croatian affairs, poor Italian military efforts in their assigned area in southern Croatia, and Italian support for Royalist Serbian Cetniks in Croatia, also posed a serious problem to the Croatian military.

Another major problem for the Croatian military forces was the mass exodus of many of the best Croatian officers, NCO's and soldiers to volunteer for service in the German or Italian armies. Croatia had an infantry regiment and an air and naval legion fighting on the Eastern Front as part of the German Wehrmacht. 3 German infantry pisions were also manned by Croatian volunteers, as were 2 Waffen SS Divisions and an SS Police Division. The Italians also formed 2 "Legions", staffed with Croatians (Please see the section on Croatian Volunteers in the German Wehrmacht.

The Domobranstvo was re-organized twice after its initial set-up. This took place on November 1st 1941 and on May 1st 1943. Many new units were formed, re-formed, organized, and destroyed during these re-organizations. A unit worth noting was the 1st Mountain Division (17,000 men), activated in April 1942. On November 20th 1944, the Domobranstvo and the Ustashka Vojnica were amalgamated into the "Croatian Armed Forces" (Hrvatske Oruzane Snage). This was done largely to bolster Domobran moral, as well as to place faithful Ustashe amongst potential weak links as a form of motivation.

Of note during this time period was the 1st Croatian "Assault" (Udarna) Division. This pision was the best of the regular Croatian Army units. Wearing surplus Finnish uniforms, this pision received the best of Croatian armament and fought well against both Partisan attacks and Soviet Red Army assaults into Croatian territory.

On May 6th 1945, with the German Army in full retreat, the Partisans taking town after town, and the Red Army swarming accross the borders, the Croatian government left Zagreb. The remnants of the Croatian Armed Forces (approximately 200,000 troops) retreated towards Austria in the hopes of surrendering to the British. At the town of Bleiburg, Austria, the Croatians surrendered to the British between May 15th and May 17th 1945, becoming the last European Axis army to capitulate. The British promptly returned the Croatians to Yugoslavia, and to certain death at the hands of Tito's Communists.

The military of tiny Croatia in WW2, despite the lack of proper arms, despite fighting against a formidable guerilla opponent (the partisans) and a strong nationalist army (the Cetniks), despite a meddling Italy, managed to field a army that fought until the bitter end, and for this should be respected.