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{{Short description|Axis military operation in World War II}}
{{Good article}}
{{Infobox military conflict
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* {{flag|Nazi Germany|name=Germany}}
* {{flag|Independent State of Croatia}}
* {{flagcountry|Kingdom ofFascist Italy (1922-1943)}}
}}
|combatant2 = {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Yugoslav Partisans|Partisans]]
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* {{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} nine [[Croatian Home Guard (Independent State of Croatia)|Croatian Home Guard]] artillery batteries
* {{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} [[Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia|ZNDH]] support
* {{flagicon|Kingdom ofFascist Italy (1922-1943)}} one [[Alpini]] battalion
}}
|strength1 = 30,000–35,000 troops
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}}
|casualties2 = {{plainlist |
* 521 dead
* {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} 521 dead
* {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} 1,331–1,400 captured
* {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} 172 cases of frostbite
}}
|campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Yugoslavia}}
|}}
 
'''Operation Southeast Croatia''' ({{lang-de|Unternehmen Südost KroatienSüdostkroatien}}) was a large-scale [[Nazi Germany|German]]-led [[counter-insurgency]] operation conducted in the southeastern parts of the [[Independent State of Croatia]] ({{lang-hr|Nezavisna Država Hrvatska}}, NDH),; (modern-day [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]]) during [[World War II]]. It was the first of two German-led operations targeting mainly [[Yugoslav Partisans]] in eastern [[Bosnia (region)|Bosnia]] between 15 January and 4 February 1942. Several days after the conclusion of Operation Southeast Croatia, a follow-up operation known as '''Operation Ozren''' was carried out between the [[Bosna (river)|Bosna]] and [[Spreča]] rivers. Both operations also involved [[Croatian Home Guard (Independent State of Croatia)|Croatian Home Guard]] and [[Royal Italian Army|Italian]] troops and are associated with what is known as the '''Second Enemy Offensive''' ({{lang-sh-Latn|Druga neprijateljska ofenziva}}) in post-war [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslav]] historiography. The Second Enemy Offensive forms part of the [[Seven Enemy Offensives]] framework in Yugoslav historiography.
 
The insurgents in the area of operations included some groups of the [[League of Communists of Yugoslavia|communist]]-led Partisans and some of [[Serb]]–[[Chauvinism|chauvinist]] [[Chetniks]]. Although the Partisans and Chetniks had already irrevocably split in the [[Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia|German-occupied territory of Serbia]] following [[Operation Uzice]] in late 1941, this had not yet happened in eastern Bosnia, and in some areas they were still cooperating. As a result, differentiating between the [[wikt:rank and file|rank and file]] of the two groups was difficult, as even the communist-led insurgent groups consisted mainly of Serb peasants who had little understanding of the political aims of their leaders. While there were 20,000 Chetnik insurgents located within the area of operations, they offered no resistance to the German–NDH forces and many withdrew east across the [[Drina]] river to avoid being engaged. This contributed to the complete unravelling of Chetnik–Partisan cooperation in eastern Bosnia. The Partisan main force was able to evade the Germans, infiltrate through the Italian cordon to the south and establish itself around [[Foča]].
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Zvornik]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.3833
| long = 19.1
Line 92 ⟶ 93:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Sarajevo]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.8425
| long = 18.3282
Line 102 ⟶ 103:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Tuzla]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.5388
| long = 18.6743
Line 111 ⟶ 112:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Srebrenica]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.1
| long = 19.3
Line 120 ⟶ 121:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Olovo]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.1286
| long = 18.5816
Line 129 ⟶ 130:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Višegrad]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.7827
| long = 19.2911
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Vlasenica]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.183333
| long = 18.933333
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Rogatica]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.8
| long = 19
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Operation Southeast Croatia commenced on 15 January 1942. The 342nd Infantry Division approached the area of operations from the [[Drina|Drina River]] valley to the east, with the 718th Infantry Division pushing east from assembly areas in Sarajevo and Tuzla.{{sfn|Hehn|1979|p=84}}
 
In the first days of the operation, the 697th Regiment of the 342nd Infantry Division, supported by NDHthe Croatian 3rd Home Guard Regiment and four batteries of unitsartillery, thrust out of their bridgehead over the Drina at Zvornik and cleared the high ground southwest and south of that town, and south along the Drina valley road, hindered by roadblocks and destroyed bridges. It then followed up the retreating insurgents, mopping up the [[Drinjača|Drinjača River]] valley, before pushing southwest through the mountains and reaching Vlasenica on 18 January.{{sfn|Vuksanović|1981|p=31}}{{sfn|Hehn|1979|pp=84—85}} Parts of the 698th Regiment of the 342nd Infantry Division fought southwest from Višegrad along the upper Drina valley to [[Međeđa (Višegrad)|Međeđa]], while other elements pushed west towards Rogatica, followedreinforced by an [[Royal Italian Army|Italian]] [[Alpini]] battalion from the [[5th Alpine Division Pusteria]]. The 699th Regiment of the 342nd Infantry Division, reinforced by I. Battalion of the 202nd Panzer Regiment, advanced along the Drina valley past the confluence with the Drinjača to the area west of [[Ljubovija]], clearing roadblocks as they went. In the area of [[Milići, Republika Srpska|Milići]], they captured about 400 insurgents, mostly Chetniks loyal to [[Jezdimir Dangić]], along with a tank, two machine guns, about 160 rifles and a large amount of ammunition. The regiment then mopped up the area west to Vlasenica and one battalion cleared the route to Srebrenica.{{sfn|Vuksanović|1981|p=31}}{{sfn|Hehn|1979|p=85}}
 
The 738th Regiment of the 718th Infantry Division (less its II. Battalion) was reinforced by two battalions of the Croatian 13th Home Guard Regiment, [[assault pioneers|pioneers]], four NDH battalions, four NDH artillery batteries and two-and-a-half German [[mountain gun]] batteries. It pushed east from Sarajevo along the [[Pale-Prača|Prača]] valley then through the Romanija mountains towards Rogatica.{{sfn|Vuksanović|1981|p=31}}{{sfn|Shepherd|2012|p=163}}{{sfn|Hehn|1979|p=86}} Fighting in very difficult terrain, it captured 240 insurgents and significant amounts of weapons and ammunition. It also freed 10 Italian and 57 NDH soldiers.{{sfn|Hehn|1979|p=86}} The other regiment of the 718th Infantry Division, the 750th Regiment, was reinforced by a German artillery battery, anI. NDHBattalion infantryof battalionthe Croatian Home Guard Regiment and ana NDHCroatian Home Guard mountain battery. It moved south from an assembly area southwest of Tuzla towards Olovo.{{sfn|Vuksanović|1981|p=31}}{{sfn|Shepherd|2012|p=163}} It reached [[Kladanj]] on 16 January, and spent the following days clearing both sides of the road west towards Vlasenica.{{sfn|Hehn|1979|p=86}} It had been planned that the Italian [[3rd Mountain Infantry Division Ravenna|3rd Mountain Infantry Division ''Ravenna'']] would provide a cordon to the south, blocking any southerly withdrawal by the insurgents. This did not occur, as the Italians claimed the railroad near [[Mostar]] had been damaged, resulting in several weeks delay.{{sfn|Hehn|1979|p=85}} A scratch force, consisting of two battalions of Croatian border guards, II. Battalion of the Croatian 7th Home Guard Regiment, and one battalion of [[Ustaše Militia]], was deployed along the line Vijaka–[[Vareš]]–[[Visoko]] to prevent insurgents from crossing the [[Bosna (river)|Bosna River]].{{sfn|Vuksanović|1981|p=31}}
 
When the local leaders appointed by overall Chetnik leader [[Draža Mihailović]], Majors [[Boško Todorović]] and Dangić, became aware of the commencement of Operation Southeast Croatia, they advised other Chetnik commanders that the operation was targeted at the Partisans, and there was no need for the Chetniks to get involved. Following this, their units withdrew from their positions on the front line, let the Germans pass through their areas, or went home.{{sfn|Tomasevich|1975|p=160}} Many withdrew across the Drina into the German-occupied territory of Serbia to avoid being engaged,{{sfn|Hoare|2006|p=185}} which severely weakened the Partisan positions with the result that they suffered significant casualties and lost a great deal of territory. These actions severed any remaining cooperative links that remained between the Chetniks and Partisans in eastern Bosnia.{{sfn|Tomasevich|1975|p=160}}
 
The insurgents in the area of operations destroyed villages to deny supplies and shelter to the Germans who were operating in mountainous terrain with snow up to {{convert|1|m|ft|spell=in}} deep and facing extreme temperatures approaching {{convert|-30|°C|°F}}. The Partisans proved very difficult to pin down, aided by excellent communication and supported by the local populace. During the operation, the decisive engagements with the Partisans were mainly in the Romanija region.{{sfn|ShepherdHehn|20121979|p=16786}}{{sfn|HehnShepherd|19792012|p=86167}} The Romanija Detachment made up forty percent of all Partisans in eastern Bosnia and bore the brunt of most of the fighting during the operation.{{sfn|Hoare|2006|pp=185–186}}
 
===19–23 January===
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Igman]]
| label_size = 25
| marksize = 12
| lat = 43.783333
Line 184 ⟶ 185:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Han Pijesak]]
| label_size = 25
| lat = 44.0833
| long = 18.95
Line 194 ⟶ 195:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Sokolac]]
| label_size = 25
| lat = 43.9375
| long = 18.7972
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Vlasenica]]
| label_size = 25
| lat = 44.183333
| long = 18.933333
Line 214 ⟶ 215:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Rogatica]]
| label_size = 25
| lat = 43.8
| long = 19
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Kladanj]]
| label_size = 25
| lat = 44.2225
| long = 18.6928
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Srebrenica]]
| label_size = 25
| lat = 44.1
| long = 19.3
Line 244 ⟶ 245:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Višegrad]]
| label_size = 25
| lat = 43.7827
| long = 19.2911
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|combatant1 = '''[[Axis powers|Axis]]:'''<br/>{{flag|Nazi Germany|name=Germany}}<br />{{flag|Independent State of Croatia}}
|combatant2 = '''[[Allies of World War II|Allies]]:'''<br/>{{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Yugoslav Partisans|Partisans]]
|commander1 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Johann Fortner]]<br />{{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} Artur Gustović<br />{{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} [[Jure Francetić]]
|commander2 = {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Josip Broz Tito]]<br />{{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Todor Vujasinović]]
|strength1 = 20,000–30,000 troops<br>five Panzer platoons<br>one armoured train
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| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Igman]]
| label_size = 50
| marksize = 12
| lat = 43.783333
Line 307 ⟶ 308:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Sokolac]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.9375
| long = 18.797222
Line 316 ⟶ 317:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Rogatica]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.8
| long = 19
Line 324 ⟶ 325:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Bratunac]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.183333
| long = 19.333333
Line 333 ⟶ 334:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Srebrenica]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.1
| long = 19.3
Line 342 ⟶ 343:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Vlasenica]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.183333
| long = 18.933333
Line 351 ⟶ 352:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Rogatica]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.8
| long = 19
Line 360 ⟶ 361:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = <!--- [[Han Pijesak]] --->
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.083333
| long = 18.95
Line 368 ⟶ 369:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Olovo]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.128611
| long = 18.581667
Line 376 ⟶ 377:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Bosansko Petrovo Selo]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 44.633333
| long = 18.366667
Line 384 ⟶ 385:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Foča]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.5
| long = 18.783333
Line 393 ⟶ 394:
| NDH 1941 east
| label = [[Goražde]]
| label_size = 50
| lat = 43.666667
| long = 18.983333
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| location = Boulder, Colorado
| isbn = 978-0-914710-48-6
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Hoare
| first = Marko Attila
| authorlinkauthor-link = Marko Attila Hoare
| year = 2006
| title = Genocide and Resistance in Hitler's Bosnia: The Partisans and the Chetniks
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| location = New York
| isbn = 978-0-19-726380-8
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
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| oclc = 659474181
| chapter = 5: The Early Movement and Axis Countermeasures I. Yugoslavia
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Pavlowitch
| first = Stevan K.
| authorlinkauthor-link = Stevan K. Pavlowitch
| year = 2007
| title = Hitler's New Disorder: The Second World War in Yugoslavia
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| isbn = 978-1-85065-895-5
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=R8d2409V9tEC
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
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| location = Belgrade, Yugoslavia
| isbn = 978-86-13-00290-1
| language = Serbo-Croatiansh
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Redžić
| first = Enver
| authorlinkauthor-link = Enver Redžić
| title = Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Second World War
| publisher = Frank Cass
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| isbn = 978-0-7146-5625-0
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=mXiSKULRN
}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Shepherd
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| location = Cambridge, Massachusetts
| isbn = 978-0-674-04891-1
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
| last = Tomasevich
| first = Jozo
| authorlinkauthor-link = Jozo Tomasevich
| year = 1975
| title = War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941–1945: The Chetniks
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| isbn = 978-0-8047-0857-9
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=yoCaAAAAIAAJ
| ref = harv
}}
* {{cite book
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| isbn = 978-0-8047-3615-2
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fqUSGevFe5MC
| ref = harv
}}
* {{Cite book |last=Vuksanović|first=Miloš|title=Prva Proleterska Brigada||trans-title= First Proletarian Brigade|language=Serbo-Croatiansh| year=1981|url=httphttps://znaci.netorg/00003/382.htm|publisher=Narodna knjiga [National Press]|location=Belgrade|oclc=469599111|ref=harv}}
{{refend}}
 
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Operation Southeast Croatia}}
[[Category:Seven Enemy Offensives|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Yugoslav Partisans|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:Battles involving the Independent State of Croatia|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:Yugoslavia in World War II|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:Anti-partisan operations of World War II|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:Military operations of World War II involving Germany|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:1942 in Yugoslavia]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1942|Southeast Croatia]]
[[Category:1942 in Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
[[Category:January 1942 events]]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Southeast_Croatia"