Pučko-ustaški zbor generala Metzgera i općenarodna obrana u NDH krajem Drugog svjetskog rata
Use of the Civilian Population in the War Efforts of the Independent State of Croatia (NDH) during the Final Phase of the World War II

Summary/Abstract: At the end of 1944. NDH was in a very difficult military and political position. Not only were strong Tito's Partisan forces operating on its territory, but at the same time Soviets and Partisans occupied Serbia and advanced to the eastern border of NDH. This was the reason for the NDH authorities to reorganise their existing armed forces, and also to organise a nation-wide mobilisation. This organization, which was under control of the civilian authorities, was intended to be filled with men not serving in the armed forces and women. Its main purpose was to help war efforts with variouslabour activities (agricultural works, construction of fortifications). There were also plans to create armed units of people's defence, but NDH was short of infantry weapons even for its armed forces, so these plans were never materialized. Because of the difficult military situation, people's defence units were never organized in most pat1s of the NDH. At the same time NDH armed forces organized the People's Uprising Corps under command of general Metzger. This unit, which was much more effective than the people's defence, was active in Slavonia, Srijem and northern Bosnia and filledwith around 40 000 civilians living in that area. Its main duties were agricultural works on farms abandoned by their Volksdeutcher owners who were evacuated to the Third Reich, repairment of roads, construction of field fortifications, guard duties, etc.

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