The Trial of Dragoljub-Draza Mihailovic: Stenographic record and documents from the trial of Dragoljub-Draza Mihailovic

Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Union of the Journalist' Association of the Federative People's Republic of, 1946. Presumed first edition/first printing. Wraps. 552, [4] p. : ill. Rare. From Wikipedia: "Dragoljub "Dra a" Mihailovi; also known as "Uncle Dra a"; 27 April 1893 17 July 1946) was a Yugoslav Serb general during World War II. A staunch royalist, he retreated to the mountains near Belgrade when the Germans overran Yugoslavia in April 1941 and there he organized bands of guerrillas known as the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army. The organisation is commonly known as the Chetniks, although the name of the organisation was later changed to the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland. Founded as a royalist/nationalist Serb resistance movement, it was the first Yugoslav resistance movement to be formed, followed shortly by Josip Broz Tito's Partisans. Initially, the two groups operated in parallel, but by late 1941 began fighting each other in the attempt to gain control of the area following the end of the war. Many Chetnik groups collaborated or established modus vivendi with Axis powers. After the war, Mihailovi was tried and convicted of high treason and war crimes by the authorities of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia, and executed by firing squad. The nature and extent of his responsibility for collaboration and ethnic massacres remain controversial....The trial of Dra a Mihailovi opened on 10 June 1946. His co-defendants were other prominent figures of the Chetnik movement as well as members of the Yugoslav government-in-exile, such as Slobodan Jovanovi , who were tried in absentia, but also members of ZBOR and of the Nedi regime. The main prosecutor was Milo Mini , later Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Yugoslav government. The Allied airmen he had rescued in 1944 were not allowed to testify in his favor. Mihailovi evaded several questions by accusing some of his subordinates of incompetence and disregard of his orders. The trial shows, according to Jozo Tomasevich, that he had never firm and full control over his local commanders. A committee for the fair trial of General Mihailovi was set up in the United States, but to no avail. Mihailovi is quoted as saying, in his final statement, "I wanted much; I began much; but the gale of the world carried away me and my work.". Roberts considers that the trial was "anything but a model of justice" and that "it is clear that Mihailovi was not guilty of all, or even many, of the charges brought against him" though Tito would probably not have had a fair trial either, had Mihailovi prevailed. Mihailovi was convicted of high treason and war crimes, and executed 17 July 1946. He was executed together with nine other officers in Lisi iji Potok, about 200 meters from the former Royal Palace. His body was reportedly covered with lime and the position of his unmarked grave was kept secret. Condition: Poor. No dust jacket. Signed by previous owner. Cover worn, soiled and torn. Book and cover split in two at center of spine. Text complete.

Keywords: Chetniks, Yugoslav Army in the Homeland, Josip Broz, Tito, Partisans, Ethnic Cleansing, Neretva, War Crimes, Political Trials

[Book #66688]

Price: $750.00