I was reading the comments of this video http://www.forgottenweapons.com/the-yugoslav-m56-submachine-gun-perhaps-too-simple/ and a question came up Yugoslavia's enemies during the Cold War, who exactly did they expect to fight? How did they respond to that?
Yugoslavia's enemies during the Cold War
- Thread starter wtw
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I'm pretty sure it would be the Soviets that would be the enemy of Yugoslavia given the bad blood in the early stages of the Cold War and from what I know even though relations improved since the 50's. And of course the Yugoslav military would wage a form of guerrilla war had the Soviets tried to take over the country in general; which is of course what my TL will explore.
orwelans II
Banned
1) The Warsaw pact in case a Stalin-like Soviet leader decided to invade at some point.
This is the basic plan of WP attack supposedly drawn up by Zhukov. The Pact would quickly capture the northern plains of Yugoslavia. Both sides expected this and the Yugoslav plan was to retreat towards the mountains south of the Sava river and bleed the invaders from there. Zhukov anticipated this Yugoslav retreat and planned for a large airdrop to capture important points in Bosnia to catch the Yugoslav Army from the rear. After the Prague Spring events, Yugoslavia formed the Territorial Defence-a sort of US National Guard equivalent in which all citizens trained to fight various disaster scenarios.
The other two enemies they expected to face were Italy and especially Albania in regards to territorial disputes. Hoxa supported Albanian separatists in Kosovo IIRC.
Local ethnic groups had their own extremist nationalist organisations and groups of Croatian Fascists from Australia landed in the country and tried to stage uprisings among Croats with no success.
This is the basic plan of WP attack supposedly drawn up by Zhukov. The Pact would quickly capture the northern plains of Yugoslavia. Both sides expected this and the Yugoslav plan was to retreat towards the mountains south of the Sava river and bleed the invaders from there. Zhukov anticipated this Yugoslav retreat and planned for a large airdrop to capture important points in Bosnia to catch the Yugoslav Army from the rear. After the Prague Spring events, Yugoslavia formed the Territorial Defence-a sort of US National Guard equivalent in which all citizens trained to fight various disaster scenarios.
The other two enemies they expected to face were Italy and especially Albania in regards to territorial disputes. Hoxa supported Albanian separatists in Kosovo IIRC.
Local ethnic groups had their own extremist nationalist organisations and groups of Croatian Fascists from Australia landed in the country and tried to stage uprisings among Croats with no success.
What's the story with the Fascists, I never heard that one before1) The Warsaw pact in case a Stalin-like Soviet leader decided to invade at some point.
This is the basic plan of WP attack supposedly drawn up by Zhukov. The Pact would quickly capture the northern plains of Yugoslavia. Both sides expected this and the Yugoslav plan was to retreat towards the mountains south of the Sava river and bleed the invaders from there. Zhukov anticipated this Yugoslav retreat and planned for a large airdrop to capture important points in Bosnia to catch the Yugoslav Army from the rear. After the Prague Spring events, Yugoslavia formed the Territorial Defence-a sort of US National Guard equivalent in which all citizens trained to fight various disaster scenarios.
The other two enemies they expected to face were Italy and especially Albania in regards to territorial disputes. Hoxa supported Albanian separatists in Kosovo IIRC.
Local ethnic groups had their own extremist nationalist organisations and groups of Croatian Fascists from Australia landed in the country and tried to stage uprisings among Croats with no success.
orwelans II
Banned
There were some smaller groups that tried to pull the same shit in the 60s, but the english wiki has nothing on them and I am on my phone atm, so I can't go into detail.
These groups also commited terrorist attack against Yugoslav diplomats and plains, planted bombs etc.
These groups also commited terrorist attack against Yugoslav diplomats and plains, planted bombs etc.
orwelans II
Banned
No. A few were framed in the late 70s, but usualy the Yugoslav security services would send an agent provocateur and these idiots would jump right on his idea to bomb an embassy or something.
plenka
Banned
Common saying was that Yugoslavia was surrounded by worries or in Serbo-Croatian language BRIGAMA. In this acronym every letter corresponds to a beginning letter of a different neigboring country, so in order: Bulgaria, Romania, Italy, Greece, Austria, Hungary (Mađarska in Serbo-Croatian), Albania. There was a certain amount of paranoia, especially after breaking with Stalin in 1948, which continued all the way practically until the end of Yugoslavia. There were a few very common things said at the time such as Ništa nas ne smije iznenaditi (Nothing may suprise us), and Neprijatelj nikada ne spava (Enemy never sleeps).
You also had a concept of Total National Defense, in which units of Teritorial Defense, which could number up to 3 milion men at one point in time, and included everybody from the ages 15 and up. They would fight a guerrila war, and act in support of more regular forces. We must not forget that in high schools you had subject called Obrana i Zaštita (Defense and Protection), and which included basic marksmanship training, first aid and radio training.
They even went that far, so that Yugoslavia spent roughly 1 percent of its GDP, solely on units and equipment for Teritorial Defense.
You also had a concept of Total National Defense, in which units of Teritorial Defense, which could number up to 3 milion men at one point in time, and included everybody from the ages 15 and up. They would fight a guerrila war, and act in support of more regular forces. We must not forget that in high schools you had subject called Obrana i Zaštita (Defense and Protection), and which included basic marksmanship training, first aid and radio training.
They even went that far, so that Yugoslavia spent roughly 1 percent of its GDP, solely on units and equipment for Teritorial Defense.
Yugoslavia was developing two sets of plans - on for defence vs. the Eastern bloc, another for defence vs. West. The plans vs. West included battlefields in Slovenia & Croatia, Macedonia (Greece was/is a member of the NATO pact) and Adriatic regiaon (Dalmatia, Herzegovina and Motenegro). Main military production region was Bosnia and Herzegovina, where also elaborate warehouses and reseve command posts were located, as well as the Tito's most safe residence.
Interesting, very interesting, did they think Italy would get back up from the West or just Italy alone?
NATO (= USA) making the push, Italy being used as a springboard and obviously as a component of the NATO.
Italy alone was briefly considered as the attacker during the Trieste crisis, that might/will get help from West. As time passed, Italy was less and less regarded as capable to pull the attack just by themselves.
Italy alone was briefly considered as the attacker during the Trieste crisis, that might/will get help from West. As time passed, Italy was less and less regarded as capable to pull the attack just by themselves.
orwelans II
Banned
During the late 40s the Yugoslav Army was far larger than the Italian one. Some historians speculate that there were even more armed communists in Italy at that time than members of it's armed forces and that if they rose up Tito would come to their aid, even landing units in southern Italy to capture important air bases.
The Yugoslav landings on Italian soil would've been contested by USA and UK. Yu did not have any means to project the power in Adriatic, not beyond the coastline. We can also recall that Yugoslavia didn't make a very aggresive moves vs. Greece during the civil war there, although it supported the Greek communists.
orwelans II
Banned
That is true. The Italian government specifically had asked UK and US to still have troops stationed in Italy to avoid the scenario I mentioned.