page_title: Battle of Lijevče Field
section_title: Initial skirmishes
hierarchical_section_title: Battle of Lijevče Field / Initial skirmishes
caption_attribution_description: English: Locator Map of the Independent State Of Croatia in 1943
context_page_description: The Battle of Lijevče Field was a battle fought between 30 March and 8 April 1945 between the Croatian Armed Forces and Chetnik forces on the Lijevče field near Banja Luka in what was then the Independent State of Croatia.
  In December 1944, the Montenegrin Chetniks of Lieutenant Colonel Pavle Đurišić began withdrawing from German occupied Montenegro towards Northeastern Bosnia, where a meeting was convened with Draža Mihailović and other Chetnik leaders. Đurišić was critical of Mihailović's leadership, and decided to move west to Slovenia and seek Allied protection, contrary to Mihailović's conception of returning to Serbia. Chetnik commanders Zaharije Ostojić and Petar Baćović, and ideologue Dragiša Vasić joined him. Đurišić made a deal with the NDH authorities and Montenegrin separatist and NDH ally Sekula Drljević for safe passage through the territory of the NDH, for which Mihailović denounced him as a traitor. Under the agreement, Đurišić's troops were supposed to join Drljević's Montenegrin National Army and recognize Drljević as the Montenegrin leader.
context_section_description: On 30 March, the Chetnik forces passed the Vrbas River and took the village of Razboj. From there, the Mileševa Corps attacked the village of Doline on the right bank of the Sava River. The local militia in Doline was forced to retreat, and the bulk of Đurišić's forces continued their march. Đurišić planned to capture the town of Bosanska Gradiška and secure supplies for his army. By 1 April, all of his units crossed the Vrbas and reached Razboj. The army was given a two days' rest while they waited for reinforcements from the Middle-Bosnian Corps.
  Units of the 6th Croatian Division and the Ustashe Defence, commanded by General Metikoš, were sent to stop the advance of Đurišić's forward units. On 2 April, Metikoš's forces attacked the Mileševa and the Drina Corps. The Chetniks suffered heavy casualties and many were taken prisoner, including Captain Sima Mijušković, who was a supporter of Drljević's idea of Montenegrin independence. He gave the HOS officers information about the number and the distribution of Chetnik forces. A large group of Chetniks, who presented themselves as Montenegrin nationalists and supporters od Drljević, surrendered to the HOS on the night of 2/3 April. At the same time, there was turmoil between Chetnik officers in the main group, due to the heavy losses of their forward units. Đurišić gave up the planned attack on Bosanska Gradiška, and instead directed his forces towards the village of Topola, south of the town.
  The Croatian Air Force dropped leaflets urging the Montenegrins to abandon Đurišić and join them and Drljević in the fight against the Partisans. Units of the Partisan 2nd Yugoslav Army were positioned east of the Vrbas, and Metikoš wanted to finish the battle as soon as possible to prevent a possible Partisan attack on Banja Luka. He gathered a strong force that had a significant advantage in heavy artillery and tanks. Metikoš also ordered the building and strengthening of bunkers on the Bosanska Gradiška-Banja Luka road.
caption: Đurišić planned to reach Bihać from the Lijevče field, which spans over Gradiška
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