Draža Mihailović

Dragoljub " Draža" Mihailović , in Serb Cyrillic Sr Драгољуб " Дража" Михаиловић, known also under the name of Čiča , into Serb Cyrillic Чича (born with Ivanjica the April 27th 1893 - died with Belgrade the July 17th 1946), was a Soldat and a royalist Résistant Serb. During the Second world war, he played a big role in the fight against the occupant Nazi. Condemned to died by the Communist Yugoslavia of Tito, he is rehabilitated today.

Its childhood

Draža Mihailović had a brother, Mihailo, and three sisters, Smiljana, Milica and Jelica. Shortly after the birth of Jelica, his/her father dies of tuberculosis. Five years later, in 1900, his/her mother dies too. The orphans are entrusted to their uncle Vladimir.

Military career

After having studied the music during 3 years, Draža Mihailović is registered at the military academy of Belgrade. It fought during the Balkan Guerres. In 1912 it obtains the medal of courage. It is wounded in 1913 as a combatant the Bulgares. At the time of its passage to the Sorbonne, it binds friendship with Charles de Gaulle.

First World War

It took part in the First World War and belonged to the long retirement of the Serbe army by the Albania in 1915. It fought then on the face of Salonique and received several decorations for its acts of war.

Second world war

In 1941, the king of Serbia, Pierre II, refuses to let Wehrmacht cross its country to come to assistance of the Italian which fight in Greece. Hitler is furious. In reaction, it makes invade the Yugoslavia.

In much of cities and villages, the Serb people is raised by group of small tens of men, the Četnik. Dragoljub Mihailović is their commander. Faithful to the king, they are among the first, with the Communists, to oppose a resistance to the Nazis.

In June 1941 Josip Broz, Tito, general secretary of the Communist party of Yugoslavia and old agent of recruitment of the international brigades of Croatian Spain , initiates a resistance movement in all the country; its soldiers are called the in favor. The partisans, who count in their rows of the representatives of all the Yugoslav communities receive a very broad popular support; they will release many areas.

At the end of the conflict the Communists, in particular constant by the English and supported by the Soviet military power, release the country. After a popular referendum the new capacity antifascist reverses monarchy and persecutes the četniks.

The lawsuit and execution

Almost the totality of the Serb royalist army is exiled with Chicago; on his side, the king Pierre II takes refuge with London.

The March 12th 1946, Draža Mihailović is stopped whereas it hid in Bosnia-Herzégovine.

June 10th with the July 15th 1946 is held with Topčider the lawsuit of the " traîtres" and of the war criminals of the Second world war. Draža Mihailović appears in the number of the defendants. Considered to be guilty, he is shot the July 17th 1946. Charles de Gaulle, whose monarchical inclinations are proven, will always refuse to meet Tito, considering it responsible for the execution of his/her friend Draža.

The rehabilitation

Its death sentence rested on considerations of interior policy more than on its real culpability . The disappearance of Draža Mihailović removed Tito from a cumbersome hero.

In fact, in a context of Cold war and open political conflict with Yugoslavia about the occupation of Trieste, President Truman had granted a medal on a purely posthumous basis to him as of 1948. And in 1989, the the United States decided to set up a statue in its honor with Washington, in recognition of the part which he played while saving more than five hundred American pilots in Yugoslavia .

It does not remain about it less than its turbid attitude towards the Axis and its back-up troops ustashis still feeds from many controversies.

Notes and references of the article

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