The Battle of Kupres (Croatian: Bitka za Kupres) was fought in 1942 during World War II in the Independent State of Croatia, between the forces of the Independent State of Croatia and the Yugoslav Partisans, in and around the town of Kupres in western Bosnia. The Partisans launched three concentrated attacks against the garrison of 1,500 men during the nights of 11/12 August, 14 August, and 19 August. Although outnumbered, the Black Legion, Croatian Home Guard, and local militia units successfully defended the town against several Partisan brigades.
| Battle of Kupres | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of World War II in Yugoslavia | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
Axis: Independent State of Croatia |
Allies: Partisans | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Franjo Šimić Rafael Boban |
Sreten Žujović | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 Croatian Home GuardKupres Militia |
2nd Proletarian brigade 3rd Proletarian 4th Proletarian brigade 10th Herzegovinian Brigade 1st Krajina Brigade 3rd Krajina NOP Detachment | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,400–1,500 | 2,100–3,000 | ||||||
Background
editIn July 1942, the 2nd Proletarian Brigade moved on Kupres and, with the assistance of local Partisans, seized control over several villages in the vicinity. During the night of 4 August 1942 the Partisans attacked the town of Livno and captured it in the following days. The plan of the National Liberation Army Supreme Command, following the seizure of Livno, was to move the Proletarian Assault Brigades to Kupres, whose capture was vital for further actions in the valley of River Vrbas.[1]
The battle
edit Yugoslav Partisans 11/12 August 1942, 13 battalions with around 2,100 men[2]
- 2nd Proletarian Brigade
- 3rd Proletarian (Sandžak) Brigade
- 4th Proletarian (Montenegrin) Brigade
- 10th Herzegovinian Brigade
- 3rd Krajina NOP Detachment
14 August 1942, 16 battalions with around 2,400[3] - 3,000[4] men
- 2nd Proletarian Brigade
- 3rd Proletarian (Sandžak) Brigade
- 4th Proletarian (Montenegrin) Brigade
- 10th Herzegovinian Brigade
- 1st Krajina Brigade
- 3rd Krajina NOP Detachment
Independent State of Croatia 11/12 August 1942, in total around 1,400 men[2]
- Black Legion
- Kupres Militia
- XVII Ustaša Battalion
- 9th Artillery Battalion
- 9th Infantry Regiment
- 5th Gendarmerie Regiment
14 August 1942, around 1,500 armed men[5]
- Black Legion
- Kupres Militia
- XVII Ustaša Battalion
- 9th Artillery Battalion
- 9th Infantry Regiment
- 5th Gendarmerie Regiment
- 14th Infantry Regiment
References
edit- ^ Leković 1965, p. 427.
- ^ a b Davor Marijan: Borbe za Kupres 1942., Zagreb 1999., p. 104-105, 200 (in Croatian)
- ^ Leković 1965, p. 458.
- ^ Davor Marijan: Borbe za Kupres 1942., Zagreb 1999., p. 125 (in Croatian)
- ^ Davor Marijan: Borbe za Kupres 1942., Zagreb 1999., p.117 (in Croatian)
- Leković, Mišo (1965). Ofanziva proleterskih brigada u leto 1942 [Offensive of Proleterian Brigades in the Summer of 1942]. Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Vojnoizdavački Zavod.