Jugoslovenska armija - oslonac Titovog kulta ličnosti u prvim posleratnim godinama
The Yugoslav Army - the Mainstay of Tito's Personality Cult in the First Post-War Years

Author(s): Bojan B. Dimitrijević
Subject(s): Cultural history, Military history, Political history, Sociology of Culture, Post-War period (1950 - 1989), Sociology of Politics
Published by: Institut za noviju istoriju Srbije
Keywords: Tito; Yugoslavia; the Yugoslav People's Army; Cult of personality; military; Supreme Commander;
Summary/Abstract: The article discusses the creation and shaping of the personality cult of Marshal Tito in the Yugoslav Army during the first post-war decade. The author points out to the characteristics and the genesis of the myth, making a parallel with Stalin’s cult. It is pointed out that the Tito cult was very similar to Stalin’s one in the 1945-1948 period, but that many special features of Tito’s cult appeared after their split in 1948, that were particularly promoted by the Army. Tito’s cult was shaped and fortified through his visits to Army units and vice versa, through slogans, oaths and other manifestations, among which the ceremony of carrying the relay baton was specially emphasized. All in all, the military environment was very important for the development of his cult in the society, but his appearances in public attierd in Army uniform was a kind of demonstration of mutual relation between Tito and the Army, particularly in critical moments when military component of Tito’s power was stressed and a signal sent to domestic and foreign policy and public.

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