Victory Day

Victory DayAt the beginning of 1941, the situation of neutral Yugoslavia in the engulfed Europe of World War II became critical, and its government, after months of negotiations on March 25, signed a treaty in Vienna to join the Axis. Yugoslavia was not to participate in the war, but it was not to prevent the passage of German troops through its territory to attack Greece.

During the popular unrest on March 27, a coup took place in the country, and a new pro-British government came to power. On April 6, Germany attacked both Greece and Yugoslavia, and on April 17, Yugoslavia surrendered. The territory of Yugoslavia was divided among four occupying countries.

On June 22, after the German attack on the USSR, the first people’s liberation detachment was formed in Croatia. Soon, by the forces of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia, the people’s liberation movement expanded throughout the country (mainly by guerrilla methods), and was headed by Josip Broz Tito. The General Staff of the Yugoslav Partisan Units was established in Belgrade, and the Communist Party of Yugoslavia officially decided to launch an armed uprising on July 4. On July 7, partisans carried out the first sabotage in Serbia.

In the autumn, partisans founded the so-called Užica Republic in liberated territory in Western Serbia, but in November it was again captured by the Germans. On November 21, the First Proletarian Brigade was formed, the first regular unit that could operate not only where it was created. In 1942, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) was formed from proletarian brigades and partisan detachments, and later on March 1, 1945. Yugoslav People's Army (YUNA)

On November 26, 1942, the entire people’s liberation movement received supreme military and political power in the person of the Anti-Fascist Assembly of the People’s Liberation of Yugoslavia (AVNOYU), which included not only communists. Tito became the head of AVNOU. At that time, the PLA forces had to fight not only the occupiers, but also the Chetniks, the remnants of the army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia under the command of Dragolub Mikhailovich.

At the second congress of AVNOYU (21-29 November 1943) the main questions of the post-war structure of the country were solved: Yugoslavia was to become a federal state, and 5 peoples living on its territory were to be absolutely equal in rights. Tito was to become the head of the post-war government, the decisions of the Yugoslav government-in-exile were canceled, and King Peter II was forbidden to return to the country until the status of the monarchy was determined in a popular referendum. At the Third Congress (August 7-10, 1945), AVNOYU was named the provisional Assembly for the preparation of elections.

May 9 was a state holiday of the SFRY throughout its history. Today, this day remains a public holiday only in the republics inhabited mainly by Serbs - Serbia proper and in the Republika Srpska within Bosnia and Herzegovina.