From: chetnik@infopls.chi.il.us (Andre Popov)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.yugoslavia
Subject: The Chetniks (all you ignorants read this)
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 92 23:55:49 CST
Organization: INFOPLUS support, Wheeling, IL

INFOPLS.CHI.IL.US AND ITS OPERATOR(S) ARE NOT REPONSIBLE FOR
     THE CONTENT OF THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE.
 
 
 
    *           . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .     
     * * * * *       . *                                         * .
       * * *         .            THE SERBIAN DEFENDER             .
     * * * * *       .           ----------------------            .
   * * * * * * *     .     The official online publication of      .
     * * * * *       .     -The Serbian-American Online Info-      .
       * * *         .                 -Exchange-                  .
     * * * * *       .               (708) 581-1735                .
         *           .                P.O. Box 362                 .
Dedicated to Truth   . *          Skokie, IL. 60076-0362         * .
     Justice         . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
      Peace                       
    Democracy                 ISSUE #:029            DATE:11/17/92
        &                 TITLE: Serbian Chetniks - Villains or heros
    Freedom!!             ORIGIN/AUTHOR: A.P.
======================================================================
     
                      INTRODUCTION
    Throughout coverage of the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and previous- 
ly in Croatia, Serbian forces wether regular or irregular have been
reffered to as "Chetniks" by their adversaries-- Muslims and Croats.
By calling them "Chetniks" their intention was to degrade the Serbs.
Just who and what are "Chetniks." That is what I will briefly explain.
 
                       BACKGROUND
    Under the attack by the Axis powers in April 1941, Yugoslavia fell
and with her went the army. Yugoslavia was complete encircled by the 
Nazi war machine countries of Albania, Italy, Austria, Hungary, and
Bulgaria.
    Serbia's Colonel (later General) Draza Mihailovic reorganized the
armed forces into the Serbian Chetniks - the first guerilla resistance
to Hitler in all of Europe. Through their efforts, the Chetniks were
essential in the final Allied victory. 
    The Chetniks were responsible for rescuing over 500 U.S. airmen
that found themselves crashed over Yugoslavia during the war. They 
took care of them until they were fit to rejoin their formations, when
the Chetniks returned them to Allied control. Both the U.S. and U.K.
sent official missions with supplies to General Miahilovic and his
Chetniks to help in the liberation of Yugoslavia.
    Here's what some world leaders said of the Chetniks:
WINSTON CHURCHILL (April 6th, 1941): "Your courage will shine out in
the pages of history and will, too, reap a more immediate reward.
Whatever you may lost in the present, you have saved the future.
 
ADMIRAL HARWOOD
GENERAL AUCHINLECK
AIR-MARSHAL TEDDER (April 16th, 1942): "With admiration we are 
following your directed operations which are of inestimable value
to our Allied cause.
 
GENERAL EISENHOWER (January 1st, 1943): "..These brave men who joined
your ranks in their birth places in order to expel the enemy from 
your Homeland, are fighting with complete devotion and sacrifice for
the mutual cause of the United Nations. May this struggle bring them
complete success.
 
ADOLPH HITLER (February 16th, 1943): "Having in view the danger con-
tained in Mihailovic's movement, I have already, in anticipation of
all eventualities, issued orders for the destruction of all his
supporters on the territory occupied by any troops... The liquid-
ation of Milhailovic's movement at the present time will no longer
be an easy matter because of the forces which he has at his disp-
osal.
 
RICHARD M. NIXON (April 21, 1966): "General Draza Mihailovic was a
patriot, a brave soilder and a gallant ally of the United States
and every nation that went to war in the early forties to destroy
the tyrannies that sought to enslave our world. Hunderds of Amer-
ican pilots owe their lives to General Mihailovic and his forces
and the American people will never forget that debt. As long as
there are patriots in any nation, the name of General Mihailovic
will be remembered and revered.
 
                   LEGION OF MERIT
                        CHIEF COMMANDER
    When President Harry S. Truman awarded Serbian Chetnik leader
General Draza Mihailovic with the Legion of Merit (the highest
award possible for any non-U.S. citizen) on March 29, 1948 he
wrote:
    General Dragoljub Mihailovich distinguished himself in an
outstanding manner as Commander-in-Chief of the Yugoslavian Army
Forces and later as Minister of War by organizing and leading
important resistance forces [Chetniks] against the enemy which
occupied Yugoslavia, from December 1941 to December 1944. Through
the undaunted efforts of his troops, many United States airmen
were rescued and returned safely to friendly control. General
Mihailovich and his forces, although lacking adequate supplies, and
fighting under extreme hardships, contributed materially to the 
Allied cause, and were instrumental in obtaining a final Allied
Victory.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
                   CHETNIK DAY IN CHICAGO
-----------------------------------------------------------------
                (Seal of The City Of Chicago)
                     OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
                       CITY OF CHICAGO
EDWARD J. KELLY
    MAYOR
                    P R O C L A M A T I O N
                    - - - - - - - - - - - -
 
    WHEREAS, The United Nations, compromising the entire democratic
world, are now locked in a death struggle with those who would impose
the yoke of slavery upon all who oppose their will of force; and
    
    WHEREAS, every member nation, through sanctioning the Four 
Freedoms is fighting for the preservation of these ideals which
deserve every support of all freedom-loving peoples fortunate enough
to have avoided the agonies of war within their home land; and
 
    WHEREAS, in all countries where men may today enjoy the benefits
of freedom, the valor of General Draja Michalovitch and his legions
of Chetniks is symbolic of this great universal fight for freedom; and
 
    WHEREAS, because there are assembled this evening citizens of the
United States, official representatives of the United Nations, and of
the Jugoslav organization of Cook County, it is fitting and proper that
the valiant deeds of the Chetniks be graphically documented and
preserved for posterity.
 
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, Edward J. Kelly, Mayor of the City of Chicago,
do hereby designate, in recognition of this historic organization, 
April 1, 1943, as CHETNIK DAY in Chicago; and I do urge all citizens
to salute the glorious deeds of these brave patriots and allies.
 
Dated at Chicago this thirteenth day of March, A.D., 1943.
 
                              (Signature: Edward J. Kelly)
                                   Mayor
 
 
              1991, 1992, AND BEYOND...
    Serbian freedom fighters today in the former-Yugoslavia tend to
be labeled as Chetniks because Chetniks were the "fighting 
guerrillas." As you can see, calling a Serb a Chetnik evokes pride
not shame. But the Croats' and Muslims' use of the term as an insult
is understandable, after all, they sided with the Nazis in WW II and
the Chetniks were their enemies - and still are. It comes as no
surprise that they shold try and degrade the Chetniks for having
fought on behalf of freedom and democracy.
 
          TRUTH IS THE VICTIM IN BOSNIA
=================================================================
  THE INFORMATION STATED HEREIN IS AS TRUTHFUL AND ACCURATE AS
  POSSIBLE. IF YOU DOUBT ANY OF THE INFORMATION STATED HEREIN
  USE THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT AND RESEARCH THE VALIDITY  
  OF THE STATEMENTS - WRITE TO THE APPROPRIATE U.S. GOVERNMENT
  AGENCY. IT IS OUR GOAL TO PROVIDE ACCURATE INFORMATION AND IF
  YOU PROVE US WRONG - PLEASE INFORM US SO THAT WE CAN CORRECT
  OURSELVES.                                          -THANK YOU
==================================================================

--
chetnik@infopls.chi.il.us (Andre Popov)
Infoplus BBS, +1 708 537 0247, v32bis. Home of Infoplus.