Lažno upanje: slovenska partizanska vojska in prelomno leto 1943

Abstract

The year of 1943 was the first year of the Second World War when the Slovenian Partisan leadership hoped for a quick end to the war. Even before the Italian capitulation, it therefore (re) organised its forces to some extent and made its first major incursion into Slavia Friulana. The Italian surrender led to the strengthening of the Partisan army with new personnel, arms and military equipment, but the arrival of German occupying forces showed that the newly established Partisan units were mostly incapable of acting against a more experienced enemy. After the Italian capitulation, new (re)organisations were thus undertaken, establishing a structure that would then remain almost unchanged until the end of the Second World War. At the same time, a strategic balance of sorts was established betweenthe Partisans and occupying forces, with neither side able to achieve dominance.

Keywords

• second world war
• national liberation army and partisan detachments of slovenia
• german occupation
• major september offensive
• gorizia front