Izvorni znanstveni članak
CROATIA AND THE WESTERN ALLIES DURING THE WORLD WAR II
Amy Schmidt
; National Archives and Records Administration, Washington DC, Sjedinjene Američke Države
Sažetak
Superficial historical analysis can lead to the erroneous conclusion that during the World War II both the Americans and the British completely neglected the Croats who were not part of the Tito’s partisan movement. More comprehensive analysis of the activities of the western intelligence services, especially the US Office of Strategic Services, shows that senior American officials seriously considered plans for the defection of the regular army of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) from the Axis to the side of the Allies. Both the establishment of new exile Yugoslav government with Božidar Purić as prime minister and closing of the Yugoslav cultural centre in New York by Konstantin Fotić, the Yugoslav ambassador to the US, symbolized the growing Serb antagonism against the Croats. This only pushed Ivan Šubašić, the Croat representative in the exile government, into closer cooperation with the American intelligence services. The plan Shepherd considered sending Šubašić with a group of associates to Italy. From there they would establish ties with the elements of the Croat peasant party (HSS) who were active in Croatia and also with the partisans. The political influence of the Šubašić group would then help turn the regular NDH troops to defect to the Allies. This plan was never accomplished. Later the plan was changed and Americans played a leading role in bringing Šubašić in the post of the prime minister of the exiled Yugoslav government. Other posts in the government were also filled by men chosen by the Americans. This article gives a new insight into the relations of the US administration toward the Croats during the World War II period. Allied policy toward various political groups in Yugoslavia was much more complex than previously thought. According to the article American relations with HSS and its various factions are as important as American ties with communist partisans, Serb chetniks and the Yugoslav government in exile.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
161937
URI
Datum izdavanja:
26.4.2002.
Posjeta: 1.489 *