Evening star., 1949-09-19

gasoline manufacture and since last winter
was warm. an abundance of oil existed.
Was my supplier just trying to sell oil
or is ESQ taking advantage of customers
who must buy soon or 60 cold?
WILLIAM J. BROWN.
Denies SERBIAN Military Clique"
Was to Blame for Yugoslavia's Defeat
To the Editor of The Star:
In a letter to the Editor published in The
Star, September 8, DR.. v. Mack, president
Of the Croatian Peasant Party, took issue
with q statement made by Constantine
Brown that Yugoslavia quickly was overcome
by the Nazis because of betrayal by the
Croats. Dr. Mack attributes the defeat
of Yugoslavia in 1941 not only to the
tremendous striking power Of the German
army but also to the Serbian military
clique"
AS one who took an active part in the
events under discussion. I feel compelled
for the sake of justice. to point out that
historic facts testify to the truth Of Mr..
Browns statement, whereas DR.. Mack
merely reiterates fallacy which the Croats
would like to perpetuate, namely that
Serbian military clique" was responsible
1Or Clle OeIeaG VI 1uBOSldVld Ill 4o1A'
DR.. Mack should not forget that what
he calls Serbian military clique" was in
reality the Serbian people. I would like to
enumerate facts which prove conclusively:
Cd the tremendous sacrifices made by the
Serbian people to the cause Of the Allies,
and (2) the contribution of the Croatian
people to the Axis powers. The most salient
facts are the following:
"a The governments of M. Stoyadinovich
and Cvetkovich- Mack gradually had des-
troyed all YugoSlavias traditional alliances
Finally, on March Is, 1941, the government
in which Dr. Mack was vice president signed
the Tripartite Pact with Hitler. It should
be emphasized that no Serbian political
party participated in this pro-Axis govern
ment and the pact was signed against the
will of the Serbian people, which comprised
the majority of Yugoslavia's population.
CD On March 81, 1941, Serbian military
clique" backed by the Serbian people carried
out coup detat which brought Yugoslavia
back on the side of the Allies, repudiated the
pact with Hitler, destroyed the dictatorial
regime Of Cvetkovich- Mack. and restored
the power to the genuine representatives
of the people. Having accomplished this,
the Serbian military clique" humbly re-
turned to the barracks.
Hitler Ordered Belgrade's Destruction.
(3)On the day of the coup d'etat Hitler
Gin his Directive No. 25) ordered complete
destruction Of Belgrade. that Serbian nest
of plotters." Yet general mobilization had
to be postponed until the beginning of April
when DR.. Mack nominated vice president,
finally came to Belgrade, after delaying in
zagreb. while he waited for the return of
his emissary to Hitler (See diaries of Won
HasSel. Hitler'S ambassador.
90 DR.. Macek's assertion that the city Of
Zagreb fell after the city of Skoplje does
not mean that it was defended longer. The
simple fact was that the main German
forces were concentrated against Serbia.
German forces attacking Serbia included: Z
motorized army corps GA, 40, Al, II, 80, SO
and 18), panzer divisions q, S, 8. II and
16). mountain divisions q, S. and g. and
and 3 motorized divisions (SS, so and SIS
Adolf Hitler'). Although Yugoslavia's
northern border was fortified Hitler sent
into Croatia only 3 army corps (4s, 81 and
39) and only one panzer division.
60 I do not wish to elaborate on DR..
Maceks secret negotiations, through ennis
saries, with Hitler and Mussolini, since they
are proved by Count Ciano and Ambassador
Won Hassel's diaries and Cianos diplomatic
papers. However must underline that the
expectation of Croatian revolt, in case
of a German attack, was so completely
understood that Hitler in his purely military
Directive No. Is, brought to the attention
Of his military commanders the political
promises made to the Croats" When Ger
many attacked Yugoslavia Croatian troops
indeed revolted throughout Croatia. On
April 10, was forced to detach from my
own unit two companies to defend the
headquarters Of the Littoral Army against
the revolt of Croatian troops.
co DR.. Mack cannot deny the indis-
putable fact that he left the new govern
ment In Bosnia and rushed to Zagreb, where
on April 10, he appealed to the Croatian
people-over the radio-to cooperate with
the new authorities. The new authorities
were the Nazis and the Ustashis. It should
be remembered that this appeal was made
exactly seven days before the capitulation
Of the Yugoslav army.
Croatia Declared War on u. S.
CD It also should not be forgotten that
the Croatian military clique and political
leadership, having failed to switch Yugo-
slavia over to the Axis-thanks to the
Serbian people-succeeded in bringing the
Croatian people on the side of the Axis.
They went even further in their contri-
button to the Axis and gave military assist
ance by sending Croatian legions to fight
alongside the Nazis at Stalingrad.
CD American public opinion remembers
well that the Independent State of Croatia"
Great Britain. This record speaks for
itself.
'(O In contrast to the Croatian contri-
button to the Axis, the Serbian people by
their courageous act of March ~, 1941,
forced Hitler to postpone his attack on
Russia and, as a consequence, to lose the
battle of Moscow and World War II.
(10) DR.. Mack will have trouble explain
ing why only Serbian officers and enlisted
men were sent to German prisoner war
camps, while Croatian officers and soldiers
by special order Of Hitler were liberated.
1T. COLONEL ZIVAN L. KNEZEVICH,
Former Military and Air Attache in WASH
ington. -.-'
That Hurricane OF 1888
Really Was Terror
To the Editor Of The Star:
Eleven years ago this Wednesday. Sep
q rle