page_title: Battle of Knin
section_title: Background
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Knin / Background
caption_attribution_description: English: Locator Map of the Independent State Of Croatia in 1943
context_page_description: Knin Operation was a major Yugoslav Partisan operation during World War II in Yugoslavia launched by the 8th Dalmatian Corps from 7 November to 9 December 1944 with the purpose of destroying German, Ustaše and Chetnik formations in North Dalmatia and the city of Knin, then part of the Independent State of Croatia. It was the final part of the 8th Crops offensive for the liberation of Dalmatia which began on 12 September 1944. The Knin operation had three phases: Initial battles on approaches to Knin from 7 November to 25 November, main battle and liberation of Knin from 26 November to 4 December, and final battles and pursuit of retreating Axis forces to Otrić in Lika from 5 December to 9 December.
context_section_description: Following the liberation of Šibenik and Drniš, the forces of the 26th Division pursued the Germans towards Knin, but met fierce resistance south of the city. Soon the Command of the 8th Corps started grouping its forces for the attack on Knin. Since the Axis lost most of Dalmatia in the previous months, the Command expected that the German forces will leave Knin shortly after the attack. However, subsequent events showed that their estimates were not realistic. The XV Mountain Corps headquarters was ordered to hold Knin at all costs to stop the advance of 8th Corps towards Lika and Bosnia. The Germans also wanted to secure the right flank of their units fighting on the Syrmian Front and protect the retreating columns from Greece and Albania through Sarajevo and Banja Luka.
caption: Location of Knin within the Independent State of Croatia
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