Chetnik Command

The Chetnik Command (Serbo-Croatian: Četnička komanda/Четничкa команда) was a military operation plan of the Yugoslav government in an expected invasion of Yugoslavia. It was part of the military plans to lead guerrilla warfare,[1] earlier developed.[2] It was established in April 1940, including the organization of six complete and one incomplete battalion recruited from the regular Royal Yugoslav Army on voluntary basis.[3] The six battalions (known as "assault battalions", jurišni bataljoni, or "Chetnik battalions", četnički bataljoni) were added to each Field Army (of which there were seven), placed in Novi Sad, Sarajevo, Skopje, Karlovac, Niš and Mostar.[3] Its headquarters was transferred from Novi Sad to Kraljevo in south-central Serbia[3] on 1 April.[1] Between 10 July 1940 and 1 April 1941 the official name was the Assault Command (Serbo-Croatian: Jurišna komanda/Јуришна команда). Although a traditional notion, the Yugoslav military did not use the Chetnik idea in its military planning until 1940.[4] It had little support in the highest ranks whose views were formed in World War I.[4] It had the rank of Division,[5] and was directly subordinated to the Ministry of the Army and Navy. The first commander was division general (divizijski đeneral) Mihailo Mihailović.[5] It was activated on 1 April 1941 and saw action in the April War (6–18 April 1941). The Chetnik Command had no relation to the pre-war Chetnik associations and the later Chetnik Movement of Draža Mihailović.

Chetnik Command
Active	April 1940–18 April 1941
Country	Yugoslavia
Branch	Royal Yugoslav Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Part of	Ministry of the Army and Navy
Headquarters	Novi Sad, Kraljevo
Engagements	Invasion of Yugoslavia (1941)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Mihailo Mihailović

Units

• 1. Novi Sad
• 2. Sarajevo
• 3. Skoplje
• 4. Karlovac
• 5. Niš
• 6. Mostar
• 7. Kraljevo

Invasion of Yugoslavia

See also

• Yugoslav order of battle prior to the invasion of Yugoslavia

References

1. Životić 2011, p. 41.
2. ANUBiH 1970, p. 199.
3. Tomašević 1979, p. 117.
4. Milivojević, Allcock & Maurer 1988, p. 90.
5. Mirčetić 1994, p. 304.

Sources

• Babac, Dušan (2006). Specijalne jedinice Jugoslovenske vojske u Aprilskom ratu (PDF). Beograd. ISBN 86-85957-12-5.
• Jevtić, Branko M.; Bogdanović, Branko (2013). Jurišni bataljoni vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije – Od mita do istine. Beograd: Beoknjiga.
• Krsmanović, Dragan (3 November 2014). "Јуришни батаљони Војске Краљевине Југославије". Beograd: Srbija Danas.
• Milivojević, Marko; Allcock, John B.; Maurer, Pierre, eds. (1988). "Yugoslavia's Security Dilemmas: Armed Forces, National Defence, and Foreign Policy". East European and Soviet studies. Berg. ISBN 978-0-85496-149-8.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Mirčetić, Dragoljub (1994). Vojna istorija Niša. 2. Prosveta.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Tomašević, Jozo (1979). Četnici u Drugom svjetskom ratu: 1941-1945. Sveučilišna naklada Liber.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Životić, Aleksandar (2011). "Četničke jedinice Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije u Aprilskom ratu" [The Chetnik units of the Yugoslav Army in April War 1941] (PDF). Istorija 20. veka (in Serbian). 29: 39–47.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Životić, Aleksandar (2003). Јуришне (четничке) јединице војске Краљевине Југославије 1940-41. Војноисторијски гласник. 1–2. Beograd: Vojnoistorijski institut.
• ANUBiH (1970). Djela. 24–28. Akademija nauka i umjetnosti Bosne i Hercegovine, Odjeljenje društvenih nauka. p. 199.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)