Pavle Đurišić

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Chetnik commander Pavle Đurišić

Pavle Đurišić (Serbian Cyrillic: Павле Ђуришић; July 9, 1907 - April 21, 1945) was a Chetnik commander and voivoda. He was a Serbian Chetnik following orders of Draza Mihajlovic, collaborating with the Nazis, and committing genocide over civilian Bosniak population in Sandzak and Eastern Bosnia. He helped save American Airmen shot down during WWII as chronicled in the '"Forgotten 500"' Novel.

Genocide of Bosniaks in World War II

Following the orders of Draza Mihajlovic issued in the document titled Instrukcije, the forces of Pavle Djurisic atrociously murdered tens of thousands of Bosniak civilians in Sandzak and Eastern Bosnia. He openly collaborated with Germans and Italians, and he was awarded the Iron Cross by the German Suppreme Command in 1944.

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Djurisic reporting to Mihajlovic on massacre of 8,000 Bosniak civilians in 1942

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Djurisic with Germans in Montenegro in World War II

Report of Djurisic receiving Iron Cross by Fascist Suppreme Command

Career

Pavle Đurišić lead most of the Chetniks of Montenegro during World War II. He was unique among many Chetnik commanders in which he strayed a different way from some military policies of Draža Mihailović. While Mihailović's Chetniks had been known as more peaceful and steadfast (they awaited for the right moment to strike),Đurišić made a move in which his Chetniks in Montenegro grouped up in March 1945 and attacked the Ustaša fascists in Lijevce Polje near Banja Luka purposely for trying to gain recognition for the Chetniks as an anti-fascist force as to contrast of the beliefs of Western leaders (many Western leaders chose to financially support Yugoslav Partisans lead by Josip Broz Tito at the famous Tehran Conference in 1943). This battle became to be known as The Battle on Lijevča field. The battle, although, was completely lost and cost Đurišić his life (He was taken and executed after the battle was lost).