Eastern Bosnia offensive (1943)

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{{Infobox military conflict
| conflict = Eastern Bosnia Offensive
| partof = [[World War II in Yugoslavia]]
| image = Visegrad most.jpg
| caption = A destroyed bridge near Višegrad
| date = 17 September - 31 October 1943
| place = [[Zvornik]], [[Rudo]], [[Višegrad]], [[Rogatica]], [[Independent State of Croatia]]
| result = [[Yugoslav Partisans]] victory
* Yugoslav Partisans eliminate most Chetnik units from Eastern Bosnia
Initial [[Chetniks|Chetnik]] victory
* Chetniks force [[Wehrmacht]] and [[Ustaše]] divisions from most of Eastern Bosnia, capturing 1,803 km²
* City of [[Sarajevo]] threatened
| combatant1 = {{flagicon image|Chetniks Flag.svg}} [[Chetniks]]
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]
{{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} [[Independent State of Croatia]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon image|Chetniks Flag.svg}} [[Draža Mihailović]]
{{flagicon image|Chetniks Flag.svg}} [[Dragoslav Račić]]
{{flagicon image|Chetniks Flag.svg}} [[Zaharije Ostojić]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} [[Maximilian von Weichs]]
| strength1 = {{flagicon image|Chetniks Flag.svg}} 2,500 to 18,500 soldiers
| strength2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} 1,100 soldiers
| casualties1 = {{flagicon image|Chetniks Flag.svg}} 50+ killed
{{flagicon image|Chetniks Flag.svg}} 65+ injured
| casualties2 = {{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} 362+ killed
{{flagicon|Nazi Germany}} 129+ injured
{{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} 43+ killed
{{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} 37+ injured
{{flagicon|Independent State of Croatia}} 37 [[Prisoner of war|POW's]]
| combatant3 = {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Yugoslav Partisans]]
| strength3 = {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} unknown
| casualties3 = {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} unknown
| commander3 = {{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Peko Dapčević]]
{{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Kosta Nađ]]
{{flagicon image|Yugoslav Partisans flag (1942-1945).svg}} [[Pavle Goranin]]

| territory = [[Chetniks]] capture [[Zvornik]], [[Rudo]], [[Višegrad]], [[Rogatica]] for a period of time
}}
'''Eastern Bosnia Offensive (1943)''' was a military offensive launched by [[Chetniks|Chetnik Forces]] with the goal being capturing large territories in Eastern Bosnia following the [[Armistice of Cassibile|Capitulation of Italy]].

The attack on [[Višegrad]] during this offensive was one of the few conflicts of [[Draža Mihailović|Mihailović's]] [[Chetniks|Yugoslav army in the homeland]] with the [[Wehrmacht]] forces in the [[Independent State of Croatia|NDH]] area. The Chetnik attack on the German-Ustaša garrison in [[Višegrad]] on October 5, 1943 was carried out at the request of the Allies, with the aim of showing the Chetnik struggle against the occupiers to the American and British military missions.{{Cite web |title=ZBORNIK DOKUMENATA VOJNOISTORIJSKOG INSTITUTA: TOM XIV, KNJIGA 3 |url=https://www.znaci.org/00001/4_14_3_42.htm |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=www.znaci.org}} The attack was observed, among others, by British [[Charles Armstrong (British Army officer)|General Armstrong]] and American Colonel Albert Seitz.

[[Višegrad]] was previously held by the Italians, so after their capitulation it was taken over by the Germans. The Chetniks briefly managed to occupy Višegrad, but it was soon taken over by the [[Yugoslav Partisans|NOVJ]].

Some [[Historical revisionism|Revisionist]] authors in Serbia assess that "the attempt of the Chetniks to liberate [[Sarajevo]]'' was "the biggest anti-German offensive on the territory of occupied Yugoslavia during 1943.''{{Cite web |title=Српска герила по немачким документима |url=http://www.dverisrpske.com/sr-CS/za-dveri-pisu/autori/vladimir-dimitrijevic/srpska-gerila-po-nemackim-dokumentima.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120814090530/http://www.dverisrpske.com/sr-CS/za-dveri-pisu/autori/vladimir-dimitrijevic/srpska-gerila-po-nemackim-dokumentima.php |archive-date=2012-08-14 |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=www.dverisrpske.com |language=sr-CS}}

== Background ==
Since 1941, [[Višegrad]] has been in the Italian occupation zone. From the beginning of their activity in the [[Independent State of Croatia|NDH]], the [[Chetniks]] were in cooperation with the Italian occupier.

1.) We want to remain on the best terms with the occupying Italian authorities.

2.) We are only fighting for the expulsion of the [[Ustaše]], ​​who committed many crimes against the Serbian people.{{Cite web |title=ZBORNIK DOKUMENATA VOJNOISTORIJSKOG INSTITUTA: TOM XIV, KNJIGA 1 |url=https://www.znaci.org/00001/4_14_1_19.htm |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=www.znaci.org}}

– Report of the commander of the [[Višegrad]] Chetnik detachment on negotiations with the commander of the Italian occupation units in [[Višegrad]] (November 1, 1941)

At the beginning of September 1943, Italy capitulated, and [[Višegrad]] was taken over by the Germans. After the fall of Italy, Allied operations intensified. Allied Brigadier [[Charles Armstrong (British Army officer)|Armstrong]] came to [[Draža Mihailović|General Mihailović]] and demanded that the Chetniks demolish four bridges on Šargan. General Dragoljub Mihailović avoided sabotage in Serbia, because of reprisals, so under pressure from allies, he decided to demolish the bridge near [[Višegrad]] in Bosnia. Expecting an imminent allied landing, [[Chetniks]] attacked the garrison in Višegrad on October 5, 1943, which, in addition to NDH troops, also housed two Wehrmacht companies.

[[Višegrad]] was also aspired by the [[Yugoslav Partisans]], which suddenly grew stronger after the fall of Italy, both numerically and in terms of weapons seized from the [[Kingdom of Italy|Italians]]. The warring parties competed for possession of the former Italian positions.

== The Offensive ==

=== Chetnik September Offensive ===
In September 1943, [[Chetniks|Chetnik]] units launched an offensive towards [[Sarajevo]]. The action was quite successful, as [[Zvornik]] (September 17, 1943) and [[Rudo]] (September 18, 1943) were liberated on the western side of the [[Drina]].{{Cite web |last=Palelive.com |first=Admin |date=2013-09-22 |title=Četnici na pragu Sarajeva 1943. godine |url=https://www.palelive.com/cetnici-na-pragu-sarajeva-1943-godine/ |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=Palelive.com |language=sr-RS}}

Large battles were fought on [[Lim (river)|Lim]] and [[Prača (river)|Prača]]. The Chetniks defeated the German-Croatian-Muslim front on the line Jabuka - Mesići - Rogatica and in October 1943 they approached [[Sarajevo]], where there were no communists at that time. In German documents that talk about the Chetnik offensive, the defense line of [[Pale, Republika Srpska|Pale]], [[Mokro, Bosnia and Herzegovina.|Mokro]], [[Sokolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina|Sokolac]] is also mentioned. When the Croatian battalion was defeated near Renovica, the [[Ustaše]] [[Croatian Home Guard (World War II)|Home Guards]] marched to Pale from Sarajevo, following that Germans issued a order to execute the retreating Croats.

=== Battle of Višegrad ===
Under the impression of the weakening of the Axis coalition, [[Draža Mihailović|Mihailović]] gathered considerable forces from Serbia (about 15,000 men) and with them launched an attack on the isolated German-Ustaša garrison of [[Višegrad]].{{Cite web |title=Antiosovinska ofanziva JVuO 1943. {{!}} Biblioteka Znaci |url=https://znaci.org/odrednica.php?slug=antiosovinska-ofanziva-jvuo-1943 |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=znaci.org}}

According to the report of American Captain Mansfield, 2,500 Chetniks were attacking [[Višegrad]], while some sources say there were up to 18,500 Chetnik soldiers. There were 800 enemy soldiers in the city, and 300 soldiers protecting main bridge over [[Drina]].{{Cite book |last=Seitz |first=Albert |title=Mihailović – prevarant ili heroj? |pages=61-64}}

The attack began on October 5 at 4 am. The left column, although it attacked energetically, was at first repulsed by fierce enemy fire from the bunkers. During that time, the right column caused panic among the enemy crew by intruding bomb squads into the town itself and by firing launchers at Rodić Brdo. The left column, after the repulsed first attack, forced the enemy crew on Borovac to leave the fortification and flee to [[Višegrad]] with the next attack. The right column began its action with a sudden fire, which caused panic and confusion among the enemy. The city of Višegrad was occupied at 9:30 am.{{Cite book |last=Nikolić |first=K |title=Istorija Ravnogorskog pokreta, prva knjiga |pages=441.}}

American lieutenant colonel Albert Seitz, who witnessed the attack, describes that the [[Chetniks]] fought bravely:

I saw the [[Chetniks]], somehow protected by the rifle fire of their comrades, storming the enemy's concrete bunkers, removing the fuses from the bombs, holding them for a few seconds (they were set to explode after five seconds) and inserting them through loopholes. It is not a job for many cowards, and many have perished... The next morning, we explored the city after the triumphal entry... Dead Germans and Ustaše covered the streets, with their helmets and black boots

– Albert B. Seitz

Mansfield writes that in a four and a half hour battle the [[Chetniks]] killed "about 200 Germans", while the rest were "inclined to flee to the north". According to Chetnik sources, the losses were 350 dead, 400 wounded and 22 captured German and Croatian soldiers; while the Chetniks had 23 dead and 5 wounded.
[[File:Kulturno-umetnička ekipa Pete krajiške divizije.jpg|thumb|The cultural and artistic team of the Fifth Krajina Division in the vicinity of Dobruna near Višegrad, November 1943.]]
The [[Chetniks]] capture consisted of two field guns, a large quantity of automatic weapons, five hundred rifles, two railway trains, two cars, four motor boats, three rubber boats, seven large and 12 small mortars, one radio station and "incredible quantities of ammunition".

After the capture of the city, the Chetniks committed a series of crimes against civilians, which [[Zaharije Ostojić]] also mentions in his report from October 8, 1943:

In [[Višegrad]] itself, there was arbitrary killing, burning and looting, despite my strict prohibition, but the soldiers were angry because the [[13th Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Handschar (1st Croatian)|Muslim Militia]], with the approval of the Germans, made a raid from [[Višegrad]] three days before our attack and set fire to the villages of Velji Luk, Sase and Haluge and killed wherever they found anyone alive.

=== Battle of Rogatica ===
After the fall of [[Višegrad]], [[Chetniks|Chetnik]] units continued their advance towards [[Rogatica]], which fell on October 13. About the battles for Rogatica on October 13, the Operations Department informs the Command of the 15th Mountain Corps:

Stronger [[Chetniks|Chetnik]] attack with grenade launchers and 105 mm guns on Jabučko sedlo, Mesiće and [[Rogatica]]. Rogatica attacked from all sides. The division is moving to the [[Pale, Republika Srpska|Pale]], [[Mokro, Bosnia and Herzegovina.|Mokro]], [[Sokolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina|Sokolac]] line. The third battalion in retreat towards Renovica, [[Prača (river)|Prača]]. The crew of Rogatica has orders to break through to Sokolac and Mokro.{{Cite book |title=Bundes arhiv, Vojni arhiv, RH 26-369-11 |pages=1122}}

Given that this attack occurred immediately after the defeat in [[Tuzla]] by the partisans, it further worried the German command, but it did not have the resources to actively oppose it. Considering the [[Yugoslav Partisans|NOVJ]] advance from [[Tuzla]] towards [[Doboj]], the attack on [[Travnik]] and the advance near [[Prozor]], the Germans got the impression that [[Sarajevo]] was in danger, and limited themselves to strengthening the defense.

=== Partisan Attack on Chetniks ===
[[Yugoslav Partisans|Partisans]], who had already expelled [[Draža Mihailović|Mihailović]] to Serbia, did not allow him to spread. The Chetnik group appeared in an important strategic position and wedged itself between the 2nd and 3rd [[Yugoslav Partisans|NOVJ]] corps. Therefore, two [[Yugoslav Partisans|NOVJ]] divisions were engaged to remove it. The newly formed 27th [[Yugoslav Partisans|NOVJ]] division, focusing on the area east of [[Sarajevo]], occupied [[Rogatica]] on October 22, defeating the Chetniks. On October 26, the Fifth Division captured [[Višegrad]] from the [[Chetniks]], which completely destroyed the Chetnik group.

The 27th Partisan division, after defeating the Chetniks in the battles during 27-31 October., liberated [[Sokolac, Bosnia and Herzegovina|Sokolac]] from Ustaše.

The [[Yugoslav Partisans|Partisan]] forces in Montenegro managed to seize all the cities that the Chetniks liberated from the occupiers and push the Chetniks out of all important positions, while establishing control over considerable Italian forces and resources.

== Consequences ==

The British general ... believes that our units are very badly led and that they do not know military art at all, in contrast to the communists who are very well led. There are many valid observations in this...

– Dragoljub Mihailović in the dispatch dated 16 - XI-43.

[[Draža Mihailović|Mihailović's]] attack on [[Višegrad]] did not leave a significant impression on either the Germans or the Allies, who still considered [[Josip Broz Tito|Tito]] the greatest opponent of the Germans in Yugoslavia. On November 1, 1943, the German commander of the Southeast, [[Maximilian von Weichs]], assessed the situation as follows:

The situation in the interior of the Balkan Peninsula, in direct connection with the imagined, that is, the actual course of events in the Mediterranean Sea area, has become significantly more severe... The most dangerous enemy is Tito. (...) Because of this, Mihailović is already looking for a connection with the German command, so as not to fall under communist rule.{{Cite web |title=ZBORNIK DOKUMENATA VOJNOISTORIJSKOG INSTITUTA: TOM XII, KNJIGA 3 |url=https://www.znaci.org/00001/4_12_3_156.htm |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=www.znaci.org}}

[[File:Presretnuta depeša Draže Đujiću.jpg|thumb|A document issued by Draža Mihailović ordering Đujić to increase cooperation with Wehrmacht and fight the communists]]
Disappointed by the complete ignoring of this action by the allied leadership, [[Draža Mihailović|Mihailović]] suspended similar activities and on November 7 issued a directive on a general attack on the communists.{{Cite book |title=AVII, arhivski fond}} The great majority of his forces outside Serbia had already firmly attached themselves to the Germans, and during November and December 1943, a large part of the forces in Serbia ([[Vojislav Lukačević|Lukačević]], [[Nikola Kalabić|Kalabić]], Jevrem Simić, Ljuba Jovanović) signed agreements with the Germans. The notification of the German commander of the southeast about the agreement concluded with Lukačević reached [[Winston Churchill|Churchill]] quickly, and it was of decisive importance in the decision to leave Mihailović.{{Cite web |title=John Cripps: MIHAILOVIĆ OR TITO? HOW THE CODEBREAKERS HELPED CHURCHILL CHOOSE |url=https://www.znaci.org/00001/293.htm |access-date=2026-04-15 |website=www.znaci.org}}

Thanks to the breaking of the German radio traffic encryption system, the Allied leaders had good information about the events in Yugoslavia, and they made the decision to provide as much material and tactical assistance to the [[Yugoslav Partisans|Partisans]] as possible.

Rejected by the Allies, [[Draža Mihailović|Mihailović]] immediately entered into negotiations with the new German envoy for the Balkans, [[Hermann Neubacher]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Battles and operations of World War II involving the Chetniks]]