THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT-IN-EXILE AND THE SERB ANTI-CROAT CAMPAIGN

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06673992
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: April 13, 2017
• Case Number: F-2017-01007
• Publication Date: June 25, 1942

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OFFICE OFTRATEGIC SERVICES
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FOREIGN NATIONALITIES BRANCH
Number 41
THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT-IN-EXILE
AND THE SERB ANTI-CROAT CAMPAIGN
June 25, 1942
(The writer of this informal memorandum, Stoyan Pribichevitch,
is a Serbian by birth, he came to the United States in 1935 and
is nowan American citizen. He is one of the editors of Fortune.
He spent the six weeks from April 5 to Play 21, 1942 in London.)
I went to England on a special assignment, to collect information
and write on the subject of the governments-in-exile. During -my Stay in
England I was in touch with members of the Yugoslav Government-in-Exile.
I also had personal interviews With numerous British officials: Min-
istry of Information, Intelligence Service, and Foreign Office (Anthony
Eden). Among other things I discussed with them the Yugoslav problem,
particularly the Serbian chauvinist propaganda in England and in the
United States. (See "The Serb Anti-Croat Campaign" I and II, this
series.)
It is my impression that the storm center of tpe anti-Yugoslav and
Greater Serbia movement in the United States can be found in the Yugoslav
Government in London. As is well-known, this Government-in-exile is
"composed of Serb, Croat, and Slovene nationals. Unfortunately) however)
there is no one outstanding and dynamic personality among them.
,
The majority of the Serbs are "liberals," favor a permanent agree-
ment with the Croats and Slo'venes,. stand for a federate( democratic
Yugoslavia, and advocate even broader schemes. For lack dr'proper
leadership, however, they are more or less helpless and ' ve not been
tC able to steer Yugoslav paiczell these lines. The Se ianchauvinists
,
are a minority, but are mor 'a gressive and have greater power than the
"liberals." 05570. ............
...,- ...... )
.Among the civilian me be �itioraremuEED Dr. Momphilo
Nincichl* Minister of Fore n-Ate-airs�-and-Dr--Msiaan-a rilovich, Min-
ister of Justice and former goslav Minister to iosco . Dr. Gavrilovich
in the pffeas been a man in whom the British Intelligence Service has
0,,RLAd&i a,:Naeat deal of confidence. At present, however, the British
S Pam to be very much dissatisfied with his attittldes, and it is not un-
likely that he will lose their Confidence.
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-----Other-leaders of the chauvinistic Serbian propaganda are a group of
igliiii-igei:13WalPeffieera who -participated in the Yugoslav coup dtetat of
March 27,1941. 1he moit Nigressive in this group is,Captain (or Major)
Vohoska,:0(41Oie family comes from Czechoslovakia). This group or cam-
arilla makes up the permanent entourage of young King Peter.
The Queen-Mother of Yugoslavia, whose husband Alexander II was .
assassinated, constantly has before her eyes the fate of her husband and
fears that a similar fate might befall her son. Dr. Momchilo Nincich,
Minister of Foreign Affairs, is the man 'who Aeeps himself in power by
visiting the Queen more often than is necessary.
,The leaders and perpetrators of the violent anti-Croat and anti-
Yugoslav propaganda, in the United States, auch'as YOvan,Duchich (former
Yugoslav Minister to Bucharest and Madrid) and Bishop Dionisije, are nbt
only on the payroll of the Yugoslav Government in London, but also
through Yugoslav Minister Fotitch, are linked directly with the London
group of Serbian chauvinists. The separatist political line of prop- '
aganda in the American Srbobran of Pittsburgh is directed from London --
although the Yugoslav Minister Fotitch also plays an independent hand in
it -- and most of the condemnatory material against the Croats for
instance, the hair-raising report of last fhll describing the massacre
of three hundred thousand Serbs by the Croats in Yugoslavia, which was
published in the Srbobran was sent from London through the Yugoslav'
Legation in Washington. I want to add that massacres undoubtedli"did
occur: The figure, however, is impossibly exaggerated and'was intended
to present the Croatians .in an unfavorable light so as,tajustify both
the extremist Serb propaganda and the breaking up of the-idea of wfutura
,
Yugoslavia.
Another example of chauvinist Serb prOpaganda:is the so-called
"London Croat Memorandum." This memorandum was written .last summer and
was the brain-child of a minor Croatian official in London.
In London I have collected enough evidence to piece together the
links between Serb propaganda in the United States and the Nazi: propa-,
ganda machine in Germany. This is how it is done. "Phoney" refugees
presenting themselves as confidants of Dr. Vladimir Machek (now interned
by the Germans) began to arrive in London last fall. I met one such
person. He was the man who had brought the memorandum on Serbian
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massacres to London. He left Serbia with a Nedich passport and arrived
in Istanbul without being molested by German or Bulgarian government of-
ficials. From Istanbul he went to Ankara. The Yugoslav Information
Bureau in Ankara is not under Yugoslav Government control, and it is
here that the tendentious news is being fabricated. From Cairo, where
there are quite a number of formerly pro-Axis Yugoslav diplomatic of-
ficials, come similar reports. It is from there that the man whom I
mentioned above arrived with the anti-Croat memorandum in London, where
at present he continues his vicious work. Further, pictures of mas-
sacred peoples are photographed by the Germans, who take great pains to
see to it that Serbians who leave the country take them with them.
The propaganda being disseminated in the .United States is actually
gathered in Germany, though most of the people disseminating it in the
United States might not be aware of this fact. Thus they play into
Hitler's hands 'And do exactly what Hitler wants them to. do. This is
part of Hitler's diabolical warfare. He makes these people believe that
they are fighting for a great Serbian cause.
Since the storm center of the Yugoslav problem can be found in .
London, I do not believe that it would be in itself sufficient merely to
check the Srbobi-ctn (official organ of the Serb National Federation) or
take the matter up with Mr. Potitch. I believe that .the whole matter
should be taken up directly with the Yugoslav Premier in London, Dr.
Slobodan Jovanovich, preferably with all the members of the Yugoslav
Cabinet in London. This could be done through Mr. Biddle. Of course,
action here in the United States, particularly with Mr. Fotitch, also
would be helpful; but a complete cure can be effected only in London.
As I view it, Yugoslav quarrels on British soil have different im-
plications from Yugoslav quarrels on American soil. In England these
wrangles are considered 4 diplomatic nuisance since they are carried on
simply between the refugees and exiles themselves and thus do not
seriously affect the interests of the British Empire. In the United
States, however, such propaganda of hatred affects at least one million
Americans of Yugoslav extiaCtion. It must be remembered that most of
the Yugoslays in the United States live in important defense centers,
and adverse propaganda thus undermines the national unity of the
American veQple in this war. For this reason the American Government
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cannot afford to view the matter as a purely foreign, quarrel, but must
look at it as a problem of paramount importance ,concerning which not
only the State Department should take a serious attitude, but also the
Department of Justice, the Office of Facts and Figures, and Colonel
Donovan's office.
Members of the British Government discussed the Yugoslav problem
quite freely, in fact mentioned it to me without being asked to discuss
it. They consider the situation as serious. (Confidentially, Mr. Eden
expressed himself in rather unflattering terms about the Yugoslav
Government in London.) The British asked me to use my influence to
persuade the Yugoslays in London to settle their disputes and map out a
Yugoslav national policy which would satisfy all dissident groups. It
was hinted to me that the British will be forced to take some action,
however gentle, even though they are less concerned than we are by what
is going on. It is possible, for instance, that the British might ask
for the removal and possible transfer to Libya 'Of some of the young �erb
officers from King Peter's entourage.
By May 21 a mevement had been started among the Slovene, Croatian,
and some Serbian members of the Yugoslav Government-in-Exile for the
purpose of getting together' on a common platform and deciding on future
policy. This movement was started by Milan Grol, Minister for Commu-
nications and an old-time Serbian democrat, and Dr. Turaj Krnjevich,
Deputy Prime Minister. The aim of this new ,movement is to agree on a
common Serbian, Croat, and Slovene democratic policy, next to impose
this policy upon the Government-in-Exile, and finally to impose it on
all diplomatic representatives abroad.
The greatest difficulty in the situation is the absence from the
Yugoslav baVernment-in-Exile of any one strong dynamic personality.
For instance, Dr. Milan Gavrilovich, the Serbian extremist, is the most
aggressive member of the Cabinet. Mr. Grol, though the most brilliant,
is only a pseudo-intellectual without much willpower, besides being a
poor politician. Dr. Turaj Krnjevich is just a Croat. The ultimate
success of the above-mentioned conitructive mOvement is still in doubt.
However, I do. think that the eft45A� of this Serb-Croat combination
should be encouraged and helped by those in the American Government who
are interested. If successful, such a movement would undoubtedly.
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Number 41 - 5 - June 25, 1942
undermine the strong position which the extremists hold today.
Dr. Slobodan Jovanovich, the Premier, is my former professor. For
a period of fifty years he taught social science, history, and politics.
He is a brilliant scholar and has amazing abilities as an analytical
critic. He is slow, however, to accept advice; furtherj he is not a man
of action. He is definitely one of the greatest living scholars in the
galkans. Now at the age of seventy he has been placed in a position of
responsibility where he has, to rule an unruly crowd and is forced to
make decisions. I have seen him several times and am under the.im-
pression that he is afraid to face reality. Constantly surrounded by
Serbian extremists, he is terrorized by them. For this reason he cannot
be held responsible for anything that goes on within the Yugoslav
Government-in-Exile.
Another important factor which should be taken into consideration
when evaluating the problem is the following: Almost the entire
bureaucratic apparatus in exile with which this or any other Yugoslav
Government has to work is nearly one hundred percent the remnant of the
former pro-Axis Serbian apparatus. (From Ankara, to Cairo) io London,
Capetown, New York, Washington.) The formerly pro-Axis Serbs are now
the most radical Serbs because they obviously need an alibi. For this
reason also most of the officers in London are anti-Croatian. The quick
collapse -- actually only six days -- of the Yugoslav Army in 1941 was
due to the incompetence of the high command. To justify such a catas-
trophe the blame is now put on the Croats who, it is alleged, betrayed
the Serbs.
.1
My impression about Krnjevich is that as a Croat he lacks
elasticit3;. He is so rigid an set in his point of view that.he is un-
able to do the right thing at the right moment. Often he comMits
blunders of omission, which are then used against him. He should have
immediately safeguarded Croat interests and by so doing could have fore-
stalled the disastrous effects which the Croat memorandum has had on the
Yugoslav people in the United States. The Serbian "liberals!' have had
continuous difficulties with Krnjevich. It was only last April that he
came out with a stern and complete condemnation of the Croat memorandum.
Another instance of his stubbornness occurred just recently when he
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refused to speak over the British broadcasting station to the Croatians
against the Pavelich kegime on the anniversary of the foundation of the
so-called Independent Croatian State. It would have been better for A
him to have made an explanation that his refusal was based simply on the (0%
,.ground that the Serb extremist circles had him under pressure. Such is
the characterization Of a man,.1whOJ though utterly honest, is not ;
politically-minded. Tbe British,-who like,him a great�deal, also com-
plain about his rigidity; He must .be harldled With great care in *order
no to offend him.-'
The Slovene members of the Cabinet, even though Catholic, as a
group and for obvious reasons support the idea of a Yugoslavia.
King Peter, whom I mentioned before, is very immature mentally,'
though he has reached the age of 18., I.interviewed him, and during the
course of our interview he showed much interest in American technology,
- the way f was when I was 14 or 15 years old. I understand that he is
planning to come to America in the near future. In my opinion, his
visit to America would create a great deal of harm unless it is handled
very carefully. Of course King Peter would love to, come to America --
for reasons which are utterly non-political. He would be accompanied,
_
however, by Momchilo Nincich, although Nincich does not speak a word of
English. The men who would like particularly to see the King come to
America are those who could in this manner fortify their positions.
Obviously the King would be received by the President of the United,
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States. Celebrations would be arranged where people like Duchidh,
DioneV.je, Fotitch and others would play a most prominent 'role. On the '
other handl I just don't ..know what the attitude of the American Croats
and, Slovenes, who number Well Over halt a be. I doubt
very much that the King's vis4.t to America danbe,cancelled: However,.
. _
the American, Governments should'handle,.ithid- matter with ektreme cart.-
�
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n.t has just been, learnect that44...tme,MiniiterNincich and Map* SVetislav
Vohoska, together with Minister Of. the CourtRadoje Kuezevich, will
accompany the Xing to the United: States,... .
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