Why were there so little Bosnians in the Yugoslav Partisans back then and what caused the huge influx in Croatian partisans near the end of the war?
Posted by SlavKeeper@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 121 comments
I’ve always been fascinated with partisans as one of the most reliable partisan operation in WW2 and successful one but now I’m a bit curious about reasons for the demographic, you can see in image A) Tito’s claims and on B) Veteran affairs ethnicity claim.
Resolution-Honest@reddit
This is very complex issue and there are no clear answers. This is only a one statement from Tito, but a lot of Bosnian Muslims did join partisans in 1944-45. So I will try to paint the picture
In Eastern Bosnia in late 1941, much of rebels are Serbians, and much of them are Chetnik leaning. There are few Partisans and even though war between partisans and Chetniks in already brewing in Serbia, Partisans try to make peace with Chetniks in the region, despite them persecuting and mass murdering Muslims. One of conditions for keeping the peace was that Chetnik stop and allow for Muslims and Croats to enter Partisans. This changed when Main HQ with Tito and "proleterians" came from Serbia and attacked Chetnik, but still, much of Muslims had negative view of Partisans.
Partisans also weren't present south of Neretva and East of Bosna river for second half of 1942 and first half of 1943. Eastern Herzegovina, Eastern Bosnia and Montenegro where dominated by Chetniks and Axis. Only after failed Axis operations Weiss and Schwarz (Neretva and Sutjeska battles) was there a larger Partisans presence in Eastern and Middle Bosnia and conditions for movement to grow. Still, this had lot of back and forth since a lot of Muslim militias that were formed by Axis to protect their bases shifted sides. Best example would be Huska. Huska used to be a Communist and a Muslim who was captured by Axis and escaped or deserted several armed formation several times, as did many Yugoslavs. He formed his own militia that was on paper on Axis side but he evaded any conflicts with Partisans and kept Axis at arm's lenght. In early 1944 he opted to join Partisans even though he was negotiating with Ustasha (with Partisan delegates at his HQ unknown to Ustasha). Partisans wanted to form a strong, mobile brigade out of militia and faced a lot of resistance from Huska and Muslims who liked being local militia. Huska was murdered by pro-Ustasha militia men and wave of desertion swept across newly formed brigade. Rest of them became a realiable unit and by late 1944 they had some 2000 members, with lot of deserters (many of whom joined Ustasha) coming back into it's ranks. Some intelectuals also shifted sides in 1943-45 several times, like teologian Hafiz Muhamed Pandza that had his own pro-Axis militia, joined Partisans where he advocated to Muslims to join Partisans, was captured by Germans and helped form Muslim SS Division Handžar. But many members of that Division did escape to Partisans in late 1944, so much so that Division was removed from Yugoslavia after losing much of it's combat ranks to desertion. At one point, Tuzla dettachment had more former SS members than old Partisans. Picture shows Partisan deaths by nationality and by year(just from territory of NDH). 2/3 of Muslim casulties took place in 1944-45.
Poglavnik_Majmuna01@reddit
Bosniaks were some of the strongest supporters of the Ustashe puppet regime in Croatia and were the only nation to have more fighting against the partisans than for.
They simply had no reason to be against the regime that established Islam as a state religion and just generally treated them as “Croatian flowers”. Not to mention that just before ww2 the largest Bosniak party was led by Dzafer Kulenovic, a self proclaimed Muslim Croat who became vice president of NDH. Thus Bosniaks had by far a more democratically legitimate tie to NDH than even the Croats.
Even the Bosniaks who were not a fan of the regime had no incentive to fight. My bosniak great grandfather carried on living normally during ww2 without a worry (only worry would have been Chetniks who protected him for his aid to Serbian civilians during floods pre war).
ExtremeProfession@reddit
This has been proven incorrect several times, Bosniaks were either indifferent or actively protesting the NDH rule. It's also clear that no Bosniak area was being purged for traitors after 1945 by UDBA unlike some like West Herzegovina where the state stopped all but bare necessary investment in infrastructure in order to drive the ustashe leaders out and arrest them when they resurface elsewhere looking for quality life.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Brother, Bosniaks had their own SS division - Handžar. Bosniaks were divided, just like Serbs and Croats.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
That's correct.
Napoleonvece@reddit
Because most of them were in ustase
ExtremeProfession@reddit
Dangerous narrative being pushed in the last few years and disproven many times by data. After all your parents and grandparents weren't taught that by the very regime that overthrew Ustashe and defeated Chetniks.
I guess people that actually set up Yugoslavia would know more about who supported which side than you in 2026, right?
ExtremeProfession@reddit
Yeah and Bosnia just liberated itself in the very parts where most Bosniaks lived.
Corleone0@reddit
I can't believe how Crosts and Bosniaks insist on everything but admitted an obvious and simple fact that they were largely on the other side and that a very small number of them fought against their nazi kinmen. Up until 43. around 90% of croatian partisans were ethnic Serbs (except in Dalmatia were it was fifty fifty). Similar situation is in Bosnia as well were Muslims were largely part of Ustashe or muslim SS divisions.
ExtremeProfession@reddit
23% of Partisan pension holders in SR Bosnia were Bosniak Muslim, if you add others that identified as Yugoslav, Serb or Croat for different political reasons, it's about even.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
From 1943 onwards, there were definitely more Croats in Partisans than Ustaše.
tipoftheiceberg1234@reddit
I’m surprised no one is saying that a huge number of Slavic Muslims wrote themselves as either “Croats/Serbs of Muslim faith”. This is inside information that you usually get from your parents first and then verify later - clearly some older folks aren’t being transparent with the new generation.
We personally know of at least three families I can name off on hand who have at least one grandparent that wrote themselves as such. Usually, they would write themselves at Croats of Muslim faith.
A lot of Croats must’ve went into the partisans after Italy changed sides I imagine, but also the NDH government was not elected by Croatian people, for Croatian people. It was a puppet state of Nazi Germany, which was only given the optics of an independant state while obeying whatever the politics of Nazi Germany were.
Croatians committed horrible atrocities in their annexed state (along with the Bosnian Muslims), but it was the Croatians (along with the Bosnian Muslims, and others) who fought against that state.
That part of history isn’t stated enough because Croatians don’t like communism now. But a lot of them back then did.
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
Why did Muslims write themselves as Croats or Serbs of Muslim faith?
tipoftheiceberg1234@reddit
Answer is kind of controversial and long.
During ottoman times, Slavic Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina were referred to by various names: Mohammedians, Turks, Moslems etc… because they were Muslim. Bosniak identity didn’t develop in the same way Croatian and Serbian identities did because “Muslim” was good enough.
After the Ottoman Empire left that collapsed immediately and the Bosniaks were left without a strong sense of self. Orthodox Bosnians were Serbs, Catholic Bosnians were Croatian but Muslim Bosnians were…? A unique identity didn’t exist that would work. They weren’t Turks, Muslim wasn’t anymore of a descriptor than Christian was and Bošnjanin was a medieval term that referred to all inhabitants of Bosnia.
Austria-Hungary called them various things: Muslims, Croats or Serbs. Most of the time they were called Serbs. Then the kingdom came and Yugoslavia after, and while they knew they weren’t the same level of Croatian or Serbian as Croats and Serbs were, they knew that linguistically and origin wise, they were the same people.
Hence Croat or Serb but of Muslim faith. This continued on into early communist Yugoslavia, where different identities were introduced in the census - starting off with Yugoslav (which some Muslims deferred to) and then later, Muslim (capital M, yes, the same “Muslim” they were in Ottoman Empire). It was differentiated from muslim (lowercase m) which referred to someone of the Muslim faith. Capital M Muslim referred to the people and was almost exclusively used by Slavic people whose native language was serbo-Croatian who were of the Muslim faith.
That being said, the old nomenclature stuck, and some Slavic Muslims still genuinely identified as Croat or Serb, but mostly Croat.
Croatians and Serbians are mostly delineated by religion, but historically they were under separate powers, had separate interests, and different schools of thought, and they anchored their identity in different institutions. The Muslims did not do that. They were going with the flow as privileged citizens of the Ottoman Empire, acting as militarized units who were subordinate to Istanbul, with very little structure of identity underneath. When the Ottomans left, they were left with almost no educational outlets, political culture or economic independence. That’s why they were vulnerable to future changes and uprisings.
ExtremeProfession@reddit
The term Bosniak was heavily used in Austro-Hungarian times as well.
taraba707@reddit
Pretty good answer
frex18c@reddit
Cause it is reality? There was no such thing as Bosnian people. Historically Croats, Serbs and Bosniaks were same people. They split to half due to otthodox vs catholic schism. Later during Ottoman occupation part of Croats and part of Serbs converted to islam, this third religious group was created. But for centuries they identified as Croats / Serbs of muslim faith. Only at the second half of 20th century the Bosnian nationality became default.
It is sad how same people became so divided by religion they commited genocide and ethnic cleansing despite speaking same language.
Outrageous-Move-2849@reddit
Actually Croats, Serbs and Bulgarians have tribal lineage that is pre christian. Every other balkan slav identity came from those three.
Hour-Promotion-2496@reddit
The Great Schism (1054, Orthodox vs Catholic) didn't create Serbs and Croats as distinct peoples.
Those ethnonyms predate the schism and refer to tribal/political groupings. The religious divide reinforced and deepened existing distinctions, but didn't cause them
alpidzonka@reddit
The words existed, but if you're a Serb or Croat from, say, Herzegovina or Lika, it's not like your identity depends on whether your ancestors in the 9th century belonged to one or the other tribe. Frankly, people from the same region have largely similar ancestry. In those regions the Serb and Croat identity really do map to denomination, regardless of pre-Christian tribal ancestry.
Ok_Rise7870@reddit
That was his options, the third option was undecided.
tranc3rooney@reddit
Because that’s what majority used to identify as.
Bosniak is a term that gained traction during the ‘90s, although the term itself is much older and was considered too archaic up until then.
Google Bosniakisation.
MrImAlwaysrighT1981@reddit
No, it's because that was the only option during first Yugoslavia.
tipoftheiceberg1234@reddit
It’s also interesting to note that Bošnjanin referred to all inhabitants of the Bosnia region in the medieval times.
On a side note it’s interesting the name choice compared to the time period/class consciousness at the time. During communism, very many Slavic Muslims completely disregarded Muslim ethics and embraced a secular lifestyle, but they were called Muslims.
Now, you have more and more Bosniaks who are being performative (imo) and rediscovering their Islamic identity, identifying with the nation of Turkey etc … yet they’re called Bosniaks now.
CamelAmbitious7425@reddit
Because thats what they are.
Money-University4481@reddit
I remember that I asked my grandpa on why in his passport it said Serb even if we are muslims. He was part of partizans.He answered me that he did not have a choice really. I never understood what he really meant.
tipoftheiceberg1234@reddit
What year was he born?
Yugoslav was an option since the 1959 census if I’m not mistaken.
Money-University4481@reddit
He was part of partizans as young. Not sure when he was born. Probably around the 1 sr ww
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
That's correct. Bosniaks had an easy pass because the term “Bosniak” only started being used in the 1990s.
Before that, people were referred to simply as “Croatian/Serbian Muslims,” and later as “Muslims.” Individuals such as Džafer and Osman Kulenović, Ademaga Mešić, Mehmed Alajbegović, and Hakija Hadžić were freely classified as “Croats,” even though they were actually Bosniaks.
riquelm@reddit
Montenegrins being 5.5% looks nothing out of ordinary until you see the actual proportions...
DekadentniTehnolog@reddit
Yeah also you have just like dalmatians too many killed in action
prolapseenthusiat@reddit
Costal areas were heavily pro Partizan.
CataphractBunny@reddit
Unlike today. 😢
padel_zdravlje@reddit
We're always resisting the occupators, and the occupator of today is the liberal west.
FakeFanatic@reddit
koji brain dead take
padel_zdravlje@reddit
Konjušarenje spotted
prolapseenthusiat@reddit
True, right ?! Fascists sold out our home to the italians and still neo facist celebrate ustaše
riquelm@reddit
I don't know about Dalmatia, but life was so hard in Old Montenegro that the "culture of heroes" emerged, it was a matter of honor to die in the battle against the Turks... guess that part stayed up until the middle of 20th century, now it completely died out.
CataphractBunny@reddit
You mean Serbian, right? Your own posted data shows this.
Croats were disproportinately represented in the Partisans from the start. Yugoslav Partisan movement was started in Croatia, with Croat partisans starting operations on June 21st 1941. Croatian Partisan brigades fought pitched battles against the fascists, and took the heaviest casualties. By the end of the war, 60 000 Croats died fighting for freedom, and 250 000 were actively serving in the Partisans by the end of the war in 1945.
Croatia and her people chose a side, and that side is anti-fascism. A picture of a Croat Partisan is in the UN. Note the četniks in the background:
sfsn
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
No, they weren't. Early partisans in Bosnia and Croatia were actually majority Serb.
CataphractBunny@reddit
Yes, they were. Early Partisan movement and actions started in Croatia.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
Yes, and? There were like 80 people in Sisak uprising. Two weeks later, around 15000 Partisans were involved in Užice uprising.
WesPeros@reddit
Right, but keep on. Uzice uprising disloved sooner than it started, by the end of 1941 there were not more than 5 partisan detachments in whole of serbia, while tito fled with cca 1000 of his loyal fighters to Bosnia/Sandzak areas. The reasons were the serbian reluctance to join the communists, betrayal from chetniks, and german reprisals of 100 exectuted serbs for each german killed.
At the same time, the uprising in Croatia/west bosnia had a constant healthy growth and stable inflow of fighters, both serbs and croats, with serbians being a marginal majority, up until summer of 1943 when Croats took the largest portion of partisan forces in that area.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
I'm just saying that there weren't many Croat Partisans early on.
WesPeros@reddit
40% of total partisan force in croatia were croats in 1941, and 1st half of 1942. 20 brigades were formed in croatia by the end of 1942, and twice as many detachments. Most of them were ethnically mixed, such as Banija or Slavonian brigades. A couple were ethnically homogenic, such as 3rd Lika brigade (with serbs) or Kalnik detachment (with Croats) There were 5 brigades formed by the beginning of 1943 in Dalmatia alone, made up of croats almost totally.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
40% of total partisan force in Croatia was in 1942. There were 20, maybe 30% of Croats at the beginning.
WesPeros@reddit
Okay, if that would make you happy. Keep in mind it was serbian peasants running for their lives led by croatian communists who were first resistance units in croatia
WesPeros@reddit
Okay, if that would make you happy. Keep in mind it was serbian peasants running for their lives led by croatian communists who were first resistance units in croatia
CataphractBunny@reddit
And your statement was objectively wrong.
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
I'm not disputing the fact that there were lots of Croats in the Partisans later on, but there weren't much at the beginning.
Magistar_Idrisi@reddit
Yes, but most Partisans from Croatia in 1941 and 1942 were ethnic Serbs.
WesPeros@reddit
"Most" meaning 60%, not like 95%
Magistar_Idrisi@reddit
Sure. I'm just allergic to both Croatian and Serbian myths surrounding the Partisan movement in Croatia. Croats seem to forget that the Serbs were the main support base of the Partisans in the early years of the war (because they were persecuted), while Serbs tend to think that Croats were all massively pro-Nazi because they didn't join the uprising en masse in 1941.
WesPeros@reddit
We in croatia have much bigger issue with people forgetting that croats even took a part in partisans at all.
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
Interesting it always seemed like they had the biggest rise cause the Serbs were always a larger number but I guess I was wrong then
CataphractBunny@reddit
Indeed you were. You can now stop it with the sneaky questions.
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
Sneaky questions? I support the partisans A LOT they fought against an idea I hate and I was always confused why Serbs were the biggest majority knowing that the creator of the party himself is a Croat and there was a bigger % of Croats later in the war making up the partisans which is why I was curious. I’m not expecting nor agree with the “losing side” argument I assumed the reason would be more like “this area got liberated therefore since this zone was mainly Croats they had a huge jump in membership”
CataphractBunny@reddit
Yes. I've seen your other comments here.
Well, now you know better. You're welcome. :)
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
I ask questions here I usually wouldn’t dare ask to members of my family due to them being heavily Nationalistic and me being more liberal and pro-EU so if they do come off as sneaky attacks or such they’re not meant to be they’re just questions I’ve been wondering and usually wouldn’t dare to ask, I wouldn’t ask my family why Serbs mainly joined partisans and not Chetniks cause I know they would give me a super nationalistic answer like “Well you see they had no choice” or “Chetniks weren’t bad” when I’m fully aware Chetniks committed a lot of cleansing of Muslim and Croat civilians
CataphractBunny@reddit
Yeah, because they would call out the sneaky question and tell you that they mainly joined the četniks. Who then started changing sides in late '44, early '45.
Serbian as well. Don't forget that.
They were a traitorous bunch of genocidal bastards who spent the largest part of the war fighting the Partisans and massacring civilians.
paninna@reddit
Sorry bro, nothing nearly matches 800.000 Serbs slaughtered in Jasenovac by Ustase regime.
BabaRogata@reddit
Wait last time I checked Serbian sources it was 1350000, what has changed in meantime?
CataphractBunny@reddit
Rule #3 again.
paninna@reddit
Well. You can use the same rule for yourself. ✌️
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
Serbians as well yes but mainly Croats and Bosnians were victims due to nationalism pride
CataphractBunny@reddit
Pride had nothing to do with it. Treason and genocidal bloodlust is what you're looking for here.
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
I also once saw an interesting picture that boggled me since I was taught they fought the Ustasa there was a picture of them dining with Ustase members and that’s when I realized they were collaborating to massacre people who didn’t fit the far right agenda
CataphractBunny@reddit
There's nothing boggling about that picture if you know at least some basic history. Both the četniks and the ustaše were fascist collaborators, traitors to their people, and genocidal bastards. Just like the fascist overlords whose boots they were kissing.
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
It is boggling when you’re taught the exact opposite while growing up
CataphractBunny@reddit
That's why one picks up a book here and there.
paninna@reddit
Most of what you call “Croatian Partisans” were Serbs from Croatia.
CataphractBunny@reddit
Rule #3.
paninna@reddit
I didn’t say anything untrue or wrong, especially for the first years of war. Facts.
CataphractBunny@reddit
Yes, you did. Hence the report and the removal of the comment. Enjoy. 🫶
paninna@reddit
I edited the original comment by adding more data with the sources so mods can decide easier. Enjoy your Easter as well 🐰🐣
AskBalkans-ModTeam@reddit
Your post/comment was removed for violating Rule 3 of r/AskBalkans "No agenda pushing". We want this subreddit to be an inclusive space and no chauvinism, bigotry or insults towards national, ethnic, religious etc. group will be tolerated. Depending on the severity of this violation, you may be banned.
In any case, refrain from posting or commenting in such a manner.
stray__bullet@reddit
https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/s/EgZcmcph9c
belay_that_order@reddit
//writes down// u_SlavKeeper asking too many questions
WesPeros@reddit
Croats were joining the partisans from the begining- they were the ones organizing and leading the successful uprisings in Croatia, as early as summer of 1941. They were always present proportionally to their ethnic groups size, that is 20% of total partisan force. The biggest influx happenend in autumn of 1943 when Italy capitulated and germans started campaign of terror in coastal croatia. Additionally, Tito offered the amnesty to all axis aligned soliders, both serbian and croatian, if they switch to the partisan side
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
Interesting how come Serbs were a much larger number even they had Chetnik and Government of National Salvation too?
WesPeros@reddit
Well, for one, they are the biggest ethnicity in all of yugoslavia. Two, Nedic's govermnent had a little to no impact on serbs living outside of the serbian occupation state. Serbs from Bosnia, Herzegovina and Croatia had to pick between chetniks and partisans if they wanted to avoid persecution by ustasha. Where they went.depended on where each movement was stronger at the time, and that changend constantly.
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
Ok thanks for the great answer it makes sense since same as the Croats they wanted to reform a country and not kill neighbors
WesPeros@reddit
I dont.know how you came to that conclusion. It is important to note that not ethnicities but ideologies were predominantly reason for atrocities. Ustasha and chetnik ideologies were the ones concerned with creating ethnically pure states. Partisans were about bringing socialism and unity. Croats and serbs took part on both sides here, respectively.
BarnaclePotential132@reddit
I am no WW2 expert, because i am not really interested in history, thats boring to me, but didnt the chetniks follow a mornachist yugoslaw ideology? Was the King trying to get a ethically pure state? I thought they made the Yugoslav identity up in the first place. Just asking a question, i am more a reddit lurker and i am sometimes genuinely asking questions lol
WesPeros@reddit
The monarchy capitulated in the april 41 and king and govmt fled to London. Only small fragments of military decided to start the resistance on their own, not immediately recognised by the exiled king. They were the first chetnik units, and they responded to ustasha atrocities by committing similar atrocities to non-serbian population in eastern bosnia. Quickly they came up with an idea of restoring a monarchy but with ethnically clean regions of the country.
Gemascus01@reddit
The first partisan uprising in Yugoslavia was marked by the formation of the Sisak People's Liberation Partisan Detachment in the Brezovica Forest near Sisak, Croatia, on June 22, 1941. Formed by the Croatian Communist Party immediately after Germany invaded the USSR, this unit launched acts of sabotage and officially began the armed anti-fascist struggle in Yugoslavia
branimir2208@reddit
Because they were Muslims and Muslims hated communism.
3Chart@reddit
Forgot the 13th Division of the SS. And what communism? Was there an issue with communism in Yugoslavia during WW2?
prolapseenthusiat@reddit
Dont forget that the "Crna Legija" were mostly muslims soldiers
3Chart@reddit
This story sound a lot like the faith of Cossacks during the Russian Civil War of 1917-1922, where brother, uncles and even fathers fought on the opposite sides.
3Chart@reddit
Haha ...bosniaks had their own SS brigade bro (https://www.reddit.com/r/ww2/comments/wdbrt9/muslim_members_of_the_waffenss_13th_division_at/).
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
Yeah but if you calculate the percentage between 20k-30k Bosnians were in service of the partisans (using the 2.5% calculation) which is way more than the SS had members which included Bosnians and turkish some volounteers
Unable-Stay-6478@reddit
SS divisions were limited in size, though.
Stverghame@reddit
The fact that their original (and preferred) side was losing, so they changed sides.
WesPeros@reddit
Bullshit. Croats were the one organizing the uprising. They were the forming partisan batalions as early as summer of 1941. They were always taking part in partisans proportionally to their ethnic representation. The partisan army was the only resistance group for them, while the serbs had the two to pick from, one of which was axis collaborator
Stverghame@reddit
Lol, Serbs being the "axis collaborator", while Croats are the partisan majority and organizers 😂 April the 1st was a few days ago, you're late to the party. Google something called "Ustaše", you might learn something.
CataphractBunny@reddit
Go back to r\srpskapovest with that revisionist, propaganda bullshit.
Stverghame@reddit
I rarely encounter that sub tbh, but it seems that you're a regular there? R/hreddit brigades leaking or what?
CataphractBunny@reddit
My post history is open and you can check yourself. We both know you won't. :)
Stverghame@reddit
Thank you for the idea. I searched some keywords and I saw enough. Typical Croat to say the least.
CataphractBunny@reddit
As expected, personal insults right on cue.
Stverghame@reddit
Funnily enough, the comments I found on your profile had that exact approach - labeling and generalizing Serbs 😂 Glad I was able to return the favor, cheers and happy easter ❤️
CataphractBunny@reddit
Aaaaand, now the lies. You really are going off the playbook, aren't you? 😂
Stverghame@reddit
Ethnic cleansing denier :)
CataphractBunny@reddit
Yep - if the first lie doesn't work, make up some more. Typical.
Stverghame@reddit
This is literally a screenshot of your comment, little ustašoid.
Go enjoy your holiday today instead of arguing on the internet. It is a festive week for you, another holiday of yours is coming in 5 days. Enjoy the celebrations.
CataphractBunny@reddit
Back to insults.
Attempts at talking down.
And some more insults again.
You shills really need to update the playbook. This is getting too predictable, and way too boring.
Stverghame@reddit
CataphractBunny@reddit
Stverghame@reddit
AskBalkans-ModTeam@reddit
Your post/comment was removed for violating Rule 1 of r/AskBalkans "Keep it civil". Depending on the severity of this violation, you may be banned.
If not, try to refrain from using this type of language.
Lively discussion is alright, but personal attacks, insults, hate, chauvinism and/or bigotry towards other users or their input will not be tolerated.
Cheers.
WesPeros@reddit
Noone said that, cut the crap
Mister_Mammut@reddit
First of all the Croats had a entire regime - do not blame now one division- second: at the time nobody knew how Tito would behave- there was no point that they knew he would establish one of the best systems in the world, an no it wasn’t communism- do your homework - third: to be against 🧃was historically know what we know - make Our own opinion
User20242024@reddit
The answer to second question is that members "domobrani" ("home defence") units of NDH were abolished from persecution and simply changed their uniforms and became partisans.
dENd0Mania@reddit
Bosniaks ( Bosnian Muslims ) back then made up approx 5% of the total population of Yugoslavia, so the per capita numbers in partisans are more or less in line with that ( compared to your source ).
In addition between 25k to 35k Bosniaks have died in the Yugoslav partisans which puts their casualty rate at about 8-12% ( depending on what number you take for total casualties, usually 600k is taken ).
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
They gave up a lot should be remembered more
Affectionate-Ad6801@reddit
Bosnians and croatians was with the Nazis they had dozens of thousands in the volunteer corps in fact the genocide of roma, Jewish,serb was committed by the croatians primarily in Yugoslavia after when they figured they losing they jumped ship and joined the partisans just to save their own skin nothing else
Creepy-Ad-2235@reddit
you speak about the chetniks? right ? right? :'''D
Tiny-Mulberry-2114@reddit
Amigo that’s absolute BS and a massive oversimplification. You’re confusing a puppet regime with an entire population and the timeline alone kills your argument. If you think they only "jumped ship" at the end to save their skin you’re so wrong buddy.
The Sisak Partisan Detachment the very first armed anti-fascist unit in all of occupied Yugoslavia was formed by same croats you call nazis on june 22, 1941, same day Hitler invaded the USSR. They weren’t "saving their skin" when the Nazis were at their absolute peak they were starting a revolution when the rest of europe was still getting steamrolled. By 1943 long before the war was done there were nearly 100k Croats in the partisans. By 1944, they made up 30% of the entire partisan army. These arent numbers from last minute defectors you get them from a massive multi year civil war. Also don't forget the leader of the entire resistance, Tito was literally croat slovene. If the Croatians were just Nazis the anti-fascists wouldn't have even had a commander.
The Ustaše were absolute monsters but they were a minority installed by German tanks. Tens of thousands of anti fascist Croats and Bosniaks were executed by that same regime for resisting them. To paint everyone with the same brush just ignores half of the population that actually fought and died to take the fascists down. You're ignoring the people who actually won the war buddy.
MaxDrexler@reddit
Number of partisans and number of killed by the nazzies in Yugoslavia are falsified by Tito.
SlavKeeper@reddit (OP)
That’s why I posted the second image which uses actual research and not just Tito claiming membership