Operation VLAŠKA MALA

Operation VLAŠKA MALA

(Operacija Vlaška Mala)

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 Odžak, Vlaška Mala (also Vlaška 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 Rajkovačić - Baja (sometimes misspelled Rajković) and Ivo Čilušić. Village of Vlaška Mala had two storey bunker dominating surrounding area, line Odžak - Potočani - 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 Vlaška Mala on April 12 after killing 74, wounding 126 and capturing 2178 (8 Ustasha, 1275 Home Defense and 895 Chetniks) enemy soldiers in Jakeš and Pečnik villages and Odžak. All following attacks were repulsed after which 25th Division was pulled out to join Una divisional group.

16th Brigade now alone made preparation to evacuate exposed Odžak which was done once Ustasha group launched attack which recaptured Odžak and attempted to capture ferry crossing near Modriča 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 Birač 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 Potočane village on May 3. Potočane dominated surrounding area division decided to launch major assault in the evening of May 5.

Lacking strength to attack both Ustasha group at Odžak and Draža Mihailović's Chetnik group simultaneously, 3rd Corps left covering force towards Vlaška 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 Vlaška Mala while 7 aircraft carried out daily attacks from May 15 with major strikes beginning on May 21 by Il-2 based in Laćarak 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 Odžak was taken by 19th Birač and 20th Romanija Brigades of the 27th Division. Final assault on Vlaška 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 Vlaša Mala was captured in the meantime by 14th Central Bosnian brigade.

Both commanders Rajkovačić and Čilušić manged to breakthrough and escape to Vučjak 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

one 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 Birač 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 Vlaška 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 Birač Brigade

72 killed

71 missing

159 wounded

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. Vlašaka Mala was nicknamed Ustasha Alcázar probably in reference to Siege of the Alcázar 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 Odžak area were executed in revenge is questionable since there are no major demographic changes between 1931 and 1991 population census.

Literature

Ahmet Đonlagić: 27. istočnobosanska divizija, Belgrade 1983

Krstivoje Milosavljević: 18. srpska brigada / Osamnaesta srpska brigada, Belgrade 1989

Završne operacije za oslobođenje Jugoslavije

Čuvari našeg neba, Zemun, 1977, pages 133-136

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