The Battle of Neretva

The Battle of Neretva (Original: Bitka na Neretvi) is a 1969 Yugoslavian war drama recounting the largest combat encounter between the Axis occupiers and the partisans in the territory of the former Yugoslavia during World War II. The film was an Italian-German co-production directed by Veljko Bulajic and was the most expensive film produced in the country of what was then still Yugoslavia. The international cast included Yul Brynner, Orson Welles, Sergei Bondarchuk, Hardy Krüger, Curt Jürgens, Franco Nero and Sylva Koscina and is also notable for the massive amount of Soviet-made armor used in the production.
__TOC__
 
= Handguns =
== Luger P08 ==
Partisans commanders and officers use German Luger P08 pistols.
== Walther P38 ==
The Walther P38 is used by Partisan and Chetnik officers.
= Submachine Guns =
== MP40 ==
The MP40 submachine gun is used heavily by all factions.
== Beretta Model 38 ==
Partisans used captured Italian Beretta M38A and Beretta Model 38/42 submachine guns.
== Beretta Model 38/42 ==
Beretta Model 38/42 are used by partisans and chetniks.
== Beretta Model 38/44 ==
Beretta Model 38/44 are also used.
= Machine Guns =
== MG42 ==
German and Partisan forces use MG42 machine guns.
== MG 34 ==
Both sides use MG 34 machineguns as well.
== Breda Modello 37 ==
Italian troops use the Breda Modello 37 "heavy" machine gun.
= Rifles =
== Karabiner 98k ==
Both German and Partisan forces use Karabiner 98k rifles.
thumb|450px|none|Karabiner 98k - 7.92x57mm
==Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifle==
The Ustasha patrols carry Mauser Gewehr 1898 rifles.
thumb|500px|none|
== Carcano M91 Rifle ==
The Italian infantry carry Carcano M91/38 Cavalry Carbines and Carcano M91/38 Short Rifles.
= Hand Grenades =
== M52 Hand Grenade ==
Partisans carry post-war Yugoslav M52 Hand Grenades of several modifications. The grey-blueish color of the body indicates training version.
== Model 24 Stielhandgranate ==
German infantry and some partisans carry Model 24 Stielhandgranates.
thumb|none|300px|Model 24 Stielhandgranate "Potato Masher" high-explosive fragmentation hand grenade
== Mk 2 hand grenade ==
A Mk 2 hand grenade is briefly seen.
== Unidentified grenade ==
The Partisans for disposal of bridge or stockpiles of enemies weapons use a unidentified bombs.
= Other =
== 2 cm Flakvierling 38 ==
Partisans capture a German 2 cm Flakvierling 38 anti-aircraft gun.
== 5 cm PaK 38 ==
Partisans fire a 5 cm Pak 38 anti-tank gun.
==8 cm kurzer Granatwerfer 42==
The chetniks deployed against a partisans the 8 cm kurzer Granatwerfer 42.
== 85mm Air Defense Gun M1939 (52-K) ==
== Leuchtpistole ==
A Leuchtpistole is used for signalling.
thumb|none|300px|Leuchtpistole - 26.65mm
== PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle ==
Partisans anti-tank troops are equipped with PTRS-41 rifles.
thumb|none|450px|PTRS-41 anti-tank rifle 14.5x114mm
=Armor=
One of the most interesting aspects of this film was the massive amount of Soviet-era armor lent to the production including the following:
==T-34==
The unmodified T-34 Russian tank is the most widely seen armored vehicle in the film, which was typically seen utilized by the German forces.
== Pzkw VI Tiger I ==
What appear to be Tiger I tanks are also seen used by German forces in the film. In reality, these were T-34's with modified turrets to resemble the Tiger. These mockups were so well detailed that three of them were eventually reused in the 1970 Clint Eastwood war film Kelly's Heroes.
== M4 Sherman ==
Strangely, American M4 Sherman tanks are also seen depicted as German armor in the film. While the Germans used the M4 Under the designation Panzerkampfwagen M4-748(a), it was rare to see a captured M4 in action
Category:Movie
Category:War
Category:Drama
Category:Yugoslavian Produced
Category:Italian Produced/Filmed
Category:German Produced/Filmed