In the last phase of the War, American President Roosevelt presented to meritorious individuals the luxurious book “Four Freedoms”, which comprised four drawings and four texts. Prominent American Artist expressed with a paint brush their vision of Freedom of Speech and expression of thought, freedom of religion, freedom from poverty and freedom from the fear.
President Roosevelt presented one copy of the book to General Drazha Mihailovic. However, in the Fall 1944 the British Military Police arrested Lt. Colonel Borislav Todorovic, who carried the present. Then he returned back to the US, where he later died, not having his greatest wish fulfilled: To see again Belgrade – his birthplace, and even symbolically to carry out his order to present the book to Mihailovic.
Despite this, the last order of Colonel Todorovic was carried out. His wife Ljubica brought the book “Four Freedoms” in 2001 dedicated to General Mihailovic and presented it to the Serbian Academy of Science and Art Museum in Belgrade, Serbia.
President Roosevelt to General Drazha Mihailovic.
Pages from the book.
The story of Drazha Mihailovic in “Liberty” of April, 26th 1942.
General Drazha Mihailovic on the front cover of “Time” magazine-May 25th 1942.
Chetniks in “Newsweek” November 8th 1943
Ruth Mitchell, one of the most popular American personalities at the time, found herself in Belgrade, Yugoslavia during World War II. The Gestapo soon arrested her as a follower of Drazha Mihailovic. Before freeing she was in many prisons. After return to America in 1943, she published her memoirs book “The Serbs Choose War” which received extensive exposure and publicity. Lower right: Ruth Michell wearing a cap with Chetnik insignia.
Americans and Chetniks vanquish Germans in the American comic book cartoons “Blue Tracker”, 1942.
Drazha Mihailovic – “Yugoslav McArthur”, among the greatest World Heroes in the American comic book cartoon “Real Life”, 1942.
Poster for movie “Chetniks! – Fighting Guerilla”.
Washington DC, June 1942 King Petar II and President Roosevelt.
Visegrad area, October 1943: From the left: American Colonel Albert Seitz, British General Charles Armstrong, General Drazha Mihailovic and British Colonel William Bailey.
Belgrade, April 17, The 1944: U.S. bombing.
Belgrade, 17 April 1944: Flying Fortress throws bombs.
Belgrade after U.S. bombing.
Kragujevac after U.S. bombing.
Leskovac after U.S. bombing.
General Mihailovic with the representatives of the American military (from left to right): Colonel Robert McDowell (Ranger Mission), Captain George Muslin and Captain Nick Lalic (Halyard Mission).
Pilots rescued by the Chetniks on The Ravna Gora.
Mission Ranger in Yugoslavia in 1944, Colonel McDowell second from left.
Bosnia, Oct. 1944: Col. McDowell, sitting in the middle, to the right of the Mihailovic.
General Mihailovic and rescued pilots.
Chetniks and rescued pilots.
Funeral pilot Thomas Lovett, Cacak area.
The funeral of a bomber crew, Kragujevac area.
Halyard Mission, night of 27. Aug. 1944, Pranjani, Cacak, Serbia: Rescued American Airmen fastening on safety belts in preparation for evacuatin.
Halyard Mission, 2. Sept 1944: Capt. J. H Mitrani operates on a wounded Chetnik.
Halyard Mission, 12. Sept 1944: ”We sleep on hay strewn floors…” (J. B. Allin)
Halyard Mission, 13. Sept 1944: ”American Airmen sleeping in Hay Lofts with ‘insects’ for company” (J. B. Allin)
Halyard Mission, 17. Sept 1944, Koceljeva, Serbia: ”The first C47 to land ended up in the bushes at the end of the field”. (J. B. Allin)
Decree of Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley which proclaimed July 17th 1986 as
“General Dragoljub Mihajlovic Memorial Day”.
“Legion of Merit”, with citations of United States President Harry Truman with the posthumous decoration of General Mihailovic. This is the highest American Decoration for foreigners. Due to the Cold War, the Decoration was Classified Document for many decades.
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