By the end of 1941 the World had learned about the Commander of the Yugoslav Guerillas – The Chetniks, General Drazha Mihailovic (1893, Ivanjica, Serbia – 1946, Belgrade).
Mihailovic was an officer in the Balkan Wars and WWI. After the War he continues schooling in Belgrade and in France. He taught Strategy and Tactics at the Military Academy. He formulated a new form of military Strategy – a Guerilla or Chetniks’ warfare and prior to this guerrilla was considered to have only a tactical role. He was teaching and writing that guerilla bases have to be established in mountainous regions, unreachable to German tanks. As well as De Gaule, general Mihailovic criticized fortifications such as the “Maginot Line“, believing that Germans could easily outflank them.
Mihailovic at Salonika Front.
As an intelligence officer, Mihailovic was the Military Attache in Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia. Here he is accompanied by colleagues from other countries (second from the right).
A silver cigarette-case which colleagues gave him as a gift when Mihailovic left Prague.
The most famous pre-war portrait of Drazha Mihailovic, 1937.
Lt. Colonel Drazha Mihailovic with all of his pre-war medals.
General Dragoljub Mihailovic 1943.
Ba Village, Serbia, January of 1944: Yugoslav Army Supreme Command Chief of Staff, Minister of Army, Navy and Air Force of Kingdom of Yugoslavia – General Dragoljub Mihailovic, kisses the Flag from World War I taken from Museum at Oplenac.
General Mihailovic with officers of 2nd Assault Corps, Ravna Gora, Spring of 1944.
Ravna Gora, Spring 1944: General Mihailovic and the Commander 2nd Assault Corps, Captain Nikola Kalabic, inspect 2nd Assault Corps.
On the same occasion: Behind Mihailovic- Captain Kalabic and Dr. Adam Pribicevic the President of the Independent Democratic Party.
Upper and lower: Pranjani, Serbia, September 6th 1944: General Mihailovic speaking in honour of King Petar’s Birthday.
American Captain Nick Lalic (left), General Mihailovic and Colonel Robert McDowell (right, chief Mission Ranger) on September 6, 1944 in the village Pranjani, Cacak, Serbia.
General Drazha Mihailovic with Chetniks of Srednja Bosna Corps. North of Doboy, Bosnia, Fall 1944.
Inspection of Chetniks from Western Bosnia, at Trebava Mountain, October of 1944.
October 1944: Village of Kozhuhe near Doboy, Bosnia.
General Mihailovic. Bosnia, winter 1944-45.
Legion of Merit Chief Commander for Dragoljub Mihailovic.
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