Operation VLAÅ KA MALA (VlaÅ¡ka Mahala) 1945

Operation VLAÅ KA MALA (VlaÅ¡ka Mahala)

(Operacija VlaÅ¡ka Mala/Mahala)

Introduction

Operation was more of ad hoc affair with what started as simple mopping up of routed enemy formations turning into large-scale engagement lasting for several days requiring air support it also know as battle for OdÅ¾ak although primary focus was on village of VlaÅ¡ka Mala (Mahala).

History

Rapid retreat of German 21st and 34th Corps from Bosnia at the beginning of April 1945, left many NDH and Bosnian Chetnik units in disarray. Some soldiers defected to Partisans hoping to join wining side despite the fact that last amnesty offered by Tito expired in January (its seems many Croatian Home Defense soldiers and ordinary Chetniks did get drafted to replace losses suffered by Yugoslav army), others simply went home. Most attempted to withdraw with German army and many found themselves cut off by rapid advance of Partisans, those which didn't surrender attempted to hide in forest and mountains. Around OdÅ¾ak, VlaÅ¡ka Mala (also VlaÅ¡ka Mahala) and Prud large group of NDH troops realizing they couldn't retreat decided to dug in.

Total strength of NDH troops varies from few thousands up to 11000 Ustasha and Home Defense soldiers, more realistic estimates put number at around 2500-3500 local ustasha and militia formations, remains of 12th and 15th HOS divisions supported by 8 mortars and larger number of automatic weapons. Commanders were Petar RajkovaÄiÄ‡ - Baja (sometimes misspelled RajkoviÄ‡) and Ivo ÄŒiluÅ¡iÄ‡. Village of VlaÅ¡ka Mala had two storey bunker dominating surrounding area, line OdÅ¾ak - PotoÄani - Svilaj located in triangle of Bosna and Sava river was connected with trenches reinforced with earthen and concrete bunkers and fortified buildings surrounded by barbwire.

Yugoslav army strength is also a mystery, at the end of the war constant combat has worn down most units and replacements were few or none, on average brigade strength was 1000 to 1500 with 3-4 brigades engaged gives Partisan strength at only 4-5000 with poor artillery support and no tanks (27th Division on average had only 3000 soldiers in 3 brigades). Hardly a force sufficient to eliminate fortified enemy of similar strength.

Phase I - from April 19 to 28

Carried out by Yugoslav army 25th Serbian Division together with 16th Muslim Brigade from the 27th Division. 25th Division after initial successes was stopped in front of VlaÅ¡ka Mala on April 12 after killing 74, wounding 126 and capturing 2178 (8 Ustasha, 1275 Home Defense and 895 Chetniks) enemy soldiers in JakeÅ¡ and PeÄnik villages and OdÅ¾ak. All following attacks were repulsed after which 25th Division was pulled out to join Una divisional group for advance towards Zagreb and Karlovac.

16th Brigade now alone made preparation to evacuate exposed OdÅ¾ak which was done once Ustasha group launched attack which recaptured OdÅ¾ak and attempted to capture ferry crossing near ModriÄa but were stopped one kilometer from Bosna river left bank and pushed back.

Phase II - from May 3 to 25

Period from April 29 to May 3 was used by both sides for regrouping, Ustasha group didn't use opportunity to escape west and decided to stay in fortifications allowing 27th Division to bring its 19th BiraÄ and 20th Romanija brigades to support 16th Brigade. Attempts of night attacks on May 1/2 and 2/3 by fresh formations pushed Ustashe out of PotoÄane village on May 3. PotoÄane dominated surrounding area division decided to launch major assault in the evening of May 5.

Lacking strength to attack both Ustasha group at OdÅ¾ak and DraÅ¾a MihailoviÄ‡'s Chetnik group simultaneously, 3rd Corps left covering force towards VlaÅ¡ka Mala while most of the 27th and 53rd Division eliminated Chetnik group. Time from May 9 to 22 was used for preparation for major assault on VlaÅ¡ka Mala while 7 aircraft carried out daily attacks from May 15 with major strikes beginning on May 21 by Il-2 based in LaÄ‡arak airfiled. Use of tanks wasn't possible because of destroyed brigades over Sava river none could arrive in time.

Attacks on May 22 and 23 failed to break defenses despite use of artillery in point blank destruction of bunkers. On May 24 at 23:00 OdÅ¾ak was taken by 19th BiraÄ and 20th Romanija Brigades of the 27th Division. Final assault on VlaÅ¡ka Mala was launched on May 25 at 4:00 but instead attack run into breakthrough attempt by defenders through positions of 16th Brigade taking its trenches. By morning Ustasha group was pushed back into the open were it was annihilated since VlaÅ¡a Mala was captured in the meantime by 14th Central Bosnian brigade.

Both commanders RajkovaÄiÄ‡ and ÄŒiluÅ¡iÄ‡ manged to breakthrough and escape to VuÄjak mountain.

Order of Battle

NDH troops

2500-3500 (6th Ustasha battalion and remains of 12th Ustasha brigade?)

Yugoslav army

25th Division - Phase I

27th Division - Phase II

53rd Division - Phase II

14th Central Bosnian brigade

two artillery battalions

Operational group from 421st Assault Regiment - 15 Il-2 Sturmovik

Mixed Squadron/Mostar Squadron - 1 Do-17K-14, 1 Ju-87, 1 Ca-313

Casualties

25th Serbian Division:

18th Serbian Brigade

127 killed

24? wounded

19th BiraÄ Brigade

72 killed

71 missing

159 wounded

16th Muslim Brigade had over 200 killed, wounded and missing from April 23 to 27.

Last battle for VlaÅ¡ka Mala resulted in 881 killed, 104 wounded and 572 captured Ustasha, also captured was 42 light machine-guns, 2 machine-guns, 584 rifles, 1 mortar and other gear while 27th Division suffered 16 killed, 49 wounded, 6 missing and 1 drowned.

Total losses for 27th Division was almost 300 killed and missing and more then 600 wounded. Out of which:

16th Muslim Brigade

134 killed

400 to 500 wounded

19th BiraÄ Brigade

72 killed

71 missing

159 wounded

53rd Division committed single brigade which was sent into combat without divisional surgical team resulting in many badly wounded fighters dying from their wounds.

14th Central Bosnian brigade, from 5 to 8 May it suffered at lest 44 killed and 143 wounded with further 18 killed during final assault.

5 May - at lest 10 killed and around 59 wounded, reported as killed:

Radovan PopoviÄ‡ from RiteÅ¡iÄ‡a, Derventa

Bogdan Stanislava PuÅ¡iÄ‡ from Imijana, Skender-Vakuf

Pavle SopiÄ‡ from Sarajevo

Stjepan Dane TomljenoviÄ‡ from V. Kapele, Äakovo

Milan Petra TodoroviÄ‡ from SrÄ‘eviÄ‡a, Prnjavor

Halil Halila HusjakoviÄ‡ from MatuziÄ‡a, TeÅ¡anj

Mehmed A. BarjaktareviÄ‡ from Maglaj

Mirko P. RadanoviÄ‡ from Velike SoÄanice, Derventa

Dujso Kerim from Banja Luka

BahtoviÄ‡ H. DÅ¾email from MioÄe, ViÅ¡egrad

6 May - at lest 12 killed and more then 19 wounded, reported as killed

Avdo Mustafe AdÅ¾aliÄ‡ from Doboj

Omer Sulje ArnautoviÄ‡ from Maglaj

Mustafa Mustafe ArnautoviÄ‡ from Banja Luka

Zahid Hasana AhmiÄ‡ from Derventa

Martin Marka VatoviÄ‡ from NaÅ¡iÄ‡kog Antunovca

Jovan Stojana DÅ¾ebiÄ‡ from Pecka, MrkonjiÄ‡

Kosana UroÅ¡a KoljeviÄ‡ from GlamoÄan, Banja Luka

Began MeÅ¡kiÄ‡

Mirko OmÅ¡iÄ‡ from Livno

Zivko Jovana TekliÄ‡ from Graboreza, Livno

Mihajlo S. SmiljaniÄ‡ from GlamoÄ

Nedeljko R. KuzmanoviÄ‡ from VijaÄane, Prnjavor

7 May - at lest 7 killed and unknown number of wounded, reported as killed and wounded:

Ahmet GlumÄeviÄ‡ from GraÄanica

Mladenko JankoviÄ‡ from Blagaj, Bugojno

Jovan JeremiÄ‡ from Trnjan, Doboj

Jozef Ante Komsa from SitneÅ¡, Prnjavor

Milan MiÅ¡iÄ‡ from Rakovac, Maglaj

Mato Ivana PastuhoviÄ‡ from Gradac, Knin

Ahmet TumiroviÄ‡ from GradaÄac

Luka Jevte Vukovijan from Trebinje was badly wounded and would die in hospital on 6 June 1945

8 May - at lest 16 killed and unknown number of wounded, reported as killed and wounded:

Leposava Vase BjelaniÄ‡ from SitneÅ¡, company medical officer

Dane Ivana Vukadin from SrÄ‘an (Davor)

Tadija Mije JozevÄiÄ‡ from IvÄan, Jajce

Salih Ahmeta Krpo from Mostar

Fakrija KapetanoviÄ‡ from Jajce

Vlado ÄŒila Kulhaj from Prnjavor

Dragoljub MarjanoviÄ‡ from Bosanski Petrovac

Safet Saliha MehiÄiÄ‡ from Doboj

Ljubo Gavre RadiÄ‡ from Dilac, GlamoÄ

Jan Sandaj from Rakovac, Prnjavor

Vejso Muje SinanoviÄ‡ from Suho Polje, TeÅ¡anj

Mehmed Hase SkeledÅ¾iÄ‡ from Bosanski Brod

Äuro JosipoviÄ‡ from Obodnik, Kotor-VaroÅ¡

Petar A. Burza from SitneÅ¡, Srbac

Salko BeÄ‡e SmajiÄ‡ from Kosova, TeÅ¡anj

Nikola Skontra from Prolog, Livno

Milan EÄ‡im, commander of 4th Battalion, wounded

Mirko PreradoviÄ‡, deputy commander of the 4th Battalion, wounded

Boro SanÄanin, company commander 4th Battalion, wounded

Mile SaviÄ‡, company commander 3rd Battalion, wounded

Franjo Smolenski, 3rd Battalion, wounded

23 May - 3 killed and unknown number of wounded, reported as killed and wounded:

Ahmet Tahira KoÄo iz Trebinje

Vlado StojkoviÄ‡ iz RiteÅ¡iÄ‡

Lazo KovijaniÄ‡ iz Å trpci

25 May - 15 killed and unknown number of wounded, reported as killed and wounded:

Gojko Jove VujiÄ‡ from Krupa on Vrbas

Vladimir Koste Domuz from Å trpci

Ivan MiheliÄ‡ from Karlovac

Branko Laze PalikuÄ‡a from Å trpci

Osman Mehmeda SmajiÄ‡ from Seljilja, Tuzla

Osman Alije SrkaloviÄ‡ from TeÅ¡anj

Viktor Tadije StaÅ¾iÄko from Duvno

Juzek Å ljiva from Mostar

Sulejman SuljiÄiÄ‡ from MisuriÄ‡, Maglaj

Milenko Bogdana BubiÄ‡ from Brezova Dana

Bogdan Jove CvijanoviÄ‡ from Brezova Dana

Sulejman Muharema GraÄiÄ‡ from UliÅ¡njak, Maglaj

Mustafa Omera HasaniÄ‡ from Maglaj

Emko Mustafe Kusur from Domislica, Maglaj

Ibrahim Saliha Kusur from Domislica, Magla

Aftermath

Postwar battle got near mythical status, for communist it was proof of just how fanatical Ustashe were fighting (to the last especially those "ustasha butchers" which committed atrocities) a frontal battle two weeks after Germany surrendered and over a week after last major Axis formations in Yugoslavia surrendered. VlaÅ¡aka Mala was nicknamed Ustasha AlcÃ¡zar probably in reference to Siege of the AlcÃ¡zar of Toledo during Spanish Civil war which was Nationalist victory despite Republican forces outnumbering garrison 8 to 1 making it a great propaganda victory although city had little military value.

Elimination of remaining Ustasha, Chetnik, various anti-communist guerrillas, none of which posed major threat to new regime, would last until early 50's.

Post-communist literature (virtually all seems to have been written after 1990!?) glorifies this battle to point of absurdity claiming thousands of dead Partisans and that because of that battle was deleted from Yugoslav historiography despite abundant evidence to the contrary (this claim is used for almost any myth) which is sometimes clearly copy pasted and revised to fit "new" truth.

Claims that all POW including wounded were executed is possible since similar fate fell on other ideological enemies of the new regime. Although claim that all boys over fifteen in OdÅ¾ak area were executed in revenge is questionable since there are no major demographic changes between 1931 and 1991 population census.

Literature

Ahmet ÄonlagiÄ‡: 27. istoÄnobosanska divizija, Belgrade 1983

Krstivoje MilosavljeviÄ‡: 18. srpska brigada / Osamnaesta srpska brigada, Belgrade 1989

ZavrÅ¡ne operacije za osloboÄ‘enje Jugoslavije

ÄŒuvari naÅ¡eg neba, Zemun, 1977, pages 133-136