{"id":5875,"date":"2021-04-01T00:41:10","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T00:41:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/?page_id=5875"},"modified":"2021-04-01T01:18:08","modified_gmt":"2021-04-01T01:18:08","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/history\/","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"
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SHORT HISTORY OF THE SERBIAN CHETNIK EMIGRATION and the ORGANIZATION OF SERBIAN CHETNIKS \u201cIN THE FREE WORLD\u201d<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t
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After the retreat of the Yugoslavian Army in the Homeland, (better known as Chetniks) along with many civilians into Allied territory in 1945, all were placed in Displaced Person camps in Italy and the combatants were eventually disarmed.\u00a0 They were later moved to German DP camps and interrogated by the British \u201callies\u201d on behalf of the new Yugoslav communist regime looking for alleged \u201cwar criminals\u201d.\u00a0 There were none.\u00a0 After the vetting process and release of General Miodrag Damjanovi\u0107, commandant of all Royal Yugoslav Forces in the emigration, the first association of veterans was established by the general in the Grossenbrode camp in Germany on October 1, 1948 under the name of \u00a0the \u201cAssociation Of Combatants Of The Royal Yugoslav Army \u2013 Dra\u017ea Mihailovi\u0107\u201d.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t

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Many combatants had become disheartened with the idea of Yugoslavia and did not want to associate to institutions or organizations that identified themselves with \u201cYugoslavia\u201d.\u00a0 The fact that the overwhelming majority of the Royal Army was comprised of Serbs and the fact that the Serbs suffered the most in Yugoslavia, there was a consensus for the need to directly identify as \u201cSerbian\u201d.\u00a0 \u00a0On August 22, 1951 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the first organizing of Serbian Chetniks was initiated and chaired by combatant and publicist Bo\u017eo Sokolovi\u0107 on the premises of St. Sava church grounds, where about 100 Chetniks from all Serbian regions attended.\u00a0 The first Local Chapter was declared at this time.\u00a0 Elected for president was wartime commander \u0110oko Mari\u0107, Vice President Stevo Ra\u0111enovi\u0107, Secretary Bo\u017eo Sokolovi\u0107 and Treasurer Gojko Grubor.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t

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The second Local Chapter was established in Gary, Indiana.\u00a0 Elected for its president was Petar Ka\u0161i\u0107. The third Local Chapter was established in Cleveland, Ohio. Elected for its president was Branko Uzelac. The fourth Local Chapter was established in South Chicago. Elected for its president was Vukale Vukoti\u0107. \u00a0The formation of Local Chetnik Chapters continued to spread all over the United States, Canada and Western Europe.<\/p>\n

The first Chetnik Congress was held on May 31, 1952 in South Chicago.\u00a0 At this congress the \u201cOrganization of Serbian Chetniks in the Free World\u201d was declared.\u00a0 Elected for president was Vojvoda \u00a0Mom\u010dilo R. \u0110uji\u0107, for vice president\u00a0 \u0110oko Mari\u0107, for secretary Captain Nedeljko Ple\u0107a\u0161 , for treasurer Bo\u0161ko Nani\u0107 as well as others forming the Central Administration.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t

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This Organization that grew into a substantially large body of former combatants and sympathizers became a serious political threat to the new Communist regime in Belgrade. As such, it also placed a huge amount of stress on the Organization due to the political and diplomatic relationships between Yugoslavia and other countries in the free Western hemisphere where the Chetniks had emigrated to.\u00a0 Because of disagreements that had developed on how to proceed with battling the Communists, the Organization began to fracture; those loyal to Vojvoda \u0110uji\u0107 who advocated for working with former Royal Yugoslavian politicians; and those loyal to Vojvoda Jev\u0111evi\u0107, who were not in favor of working with said politicians.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t

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Following a turbulant Congress in 1957, the political differences proved to be irreconcilable and the Organization polarized into two camps; those who supported \u0110uji\u0107 (who were the slight majority), and those who supported Jev\u0111evi\u0107.\u00a0 Thus, on February 15, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, President Vojvoda \u0110uji\u0107 called for an extraordinary Congress and the Movement of Serbian Chetniks “Ravne Gore\u201d was declared.\u00a0 Later that year, on May 31, 1958 in Harbor, Indiana, the Organization of Serbian Chetniks “Ravna Gora” was officially declared and \u0110oko Mari\u0107 was elected President, Vojvoda Jev\u0111evi\u0107 Honorary President, Major Milan Cvjeti\u0107anin 1st VP, Tomica Ivan\u010devi\u0107 2nd VP, and Bo\u017eo Sokolovi\u0107 Secretary. \u00a0In 1963, after the Communist Party of Yugoslavia initiated a \u201cchurch split\u201d (ref. the book \u201cThe Communists and I\u201d, an interview with His Holiness Patriarch German), the Serbian Chetnik Movement “Gavrilo Princip” was declared aligning itself with the Belgrade Patriarchate in regard to the church split as was done by the MSC \u201cRavne Gore\u201d.\u00a0 The OSC \u201cRavna Gora\u201d and the Association of Combatants of the RYA \u2013 Dra\u017ea Mihailovi\u0107 were aligned with Bishop Dionisije head of the Free Serbian Orthodox Church in Libertyville, Illinois U.S.A.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t

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REFLECTION<\/h2>\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t
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As one can see, from one substantial wartime emigration, several organizations evolved, whose goals were and still are essentially identical.\u00a0 That is, to dismantle the falsehoods created by Tito\u2019s communist regime regarding General Dragoljub Mihailovi\u0107 and WWII events in Yugoslavia.\u00a0 In Serbia today, Partizan successors (with some exceptions) continue with Titoist \/ Communist ideology, for which their predecessors fought for, aimed against Dra\u017ea, the Chetniks, as well as the Serbian nation while omitting nothing of the Communist tactics used in the Second World War.\u00a0 We are all witnesses to the flagrant distortion of historical events, particularly involving the rescue of Allied Airmen at Pranjani.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>\r\n\t\t

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CHETNIK COMMANDERS
\nWHO PARTICIPATED IN ORGANISING THE FIRST LOCAL CHETNIK CHAPTER IN MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN ON AUGUST 22, 1951<\/h2>
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Company commanders:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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  1. Gojko Grubor<\/li>\n
  2. Stevo \u017dakula<\/li>\n
  3. Danilo Kalini\u0107<\/li>\n
  4. Nikola Joveti\u0107<\/li>\n
  5. \u0110uro Momi\u0107<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t
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    Battalion commanders:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    1. Petar \u0110ilas<\/li>\n
    2. Nikola Stojisavljevi\u0107 \u2013 Bura<\/li>\n
    3. Petar Panti\u0107<\/li>\n
    4. Sava Mali\u0107<\/li>\n
    5. Jovo Iveki\u0107<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n\n\t
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      Brigade commanders:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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      1. \u0110oko P. Mari\u0107<\/li>\n
      2. Nikola Beri\u0107<\/li>\n
      3. Peter J. Sovilj<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t<\/div> \n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>
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        Altogether, 13 Chetnik commanders who had resettled in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n

        Among the above-mentioned was pre-war Public Minister Stevo Ra\u0111enovi\u0107 who was during the war a political adviser to the Commander of the Dinara Chetnik Division Vojvoda Mom\u010dilo R. \u0110juji\u0107.\u00a0 He held that position from October 27, 1941 to May 5, 1945, until the Chetniks were ordered to surrender their weapons to their so-called allies, the British, in Palma Nova, Italy.<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\n\t\t\t<\/div> \n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div> \n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SHORT HISTORY OF THE SERBIAN CHETNIK EMIGRATION and the ORGANIZATION OF SERBIAN CHETNIKS \u201cIN THE FREE WORLD\u201d After the retreat of the Yugoslavian Army in...","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5875"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5875"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5875\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5899,"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5875\/revisions\/5899"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.osc-ravnagora.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}