Battle of Kupres (1942)
Kupres
Kupres (NDH)
Show map of NDH
Kupres
Kupres (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Show map of Bosnia and Herzegovina| Date | 28 July – 19 August 1942 |
|---|---|
| Location | Kupres, Independent State of Croatia (modern-day Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
| Result | Independent State of Croatia victory
|
Independent State of Croatia
Partisans Franjo Šimić Rafael Boban Sreten Žujović
- Black Legion (c. 600 men)
Croatian Home GuardKupres Militia
3rd Proletarian
4th Proletarian brigade
10th Herzegovinian Brigade
1st Krajina Brigade
3rd Krajina NOP Detachment
- v
- t
- e
World War II in Yugoslavia
1941
- Axis invasion
- Bombing of Belgrade
- Bombing of Sarajevo
Uprisings
- Uprising in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Sanski Most
- Eastern Herzegovina
- Drvar uprising
- Rogatica
- Olovo
- Uprising in Croatia
- Uprising in Serbia
- Bela Crkva
- Loznica
- Banja Koviljača
- Šabac
- Kruševac
- Mačva
- Uzice
- Kraljevo
- Trešnjica
- Novi Pazar
- Mihailovic
- Sjenica
- Uprising in Montenegro
1942
- Dražgoše
- Southeast Croatia
- Hydra
- Prijedor
- Nanos
- Trio
- Chetnik sabotage of Axis communication lines
- Montenegro
- Kozara
- Partisan Long March
- Kupres
- Livno
- Alfa
- Kopaonik
- Bihać
1943
- Case White
- Greenwood–Rootham
- Otto
- Fungus
- Hoathley 1
- Case Black
- Typical
- Zvornik
- Davidson
- Grčarice
- Turjak Castle
- Maclean
- Višegrad
- Bombing of Podgorica
- Bombing of Zadar
- Delphin
- Rogers
- Kugelblitz
- Kočevje
1944
- Maibaum
- Bombing of Belgrade
- Raid on Šolta
- Dafoe
- Lindsay
- Rösselsprung
- Andrijevica
- Halyard
- Ožbalt
- Ratweek
- Serbia
- Belgrade
- Niš
- Stracin–Kumanovo
- Vukov Klanac
- Bregalnitsa–Strumica
- Kosovo
- Syrmian Front
- Floxo
- Niš airspace incident
- Batina
- Knin
1945
- Trnovo
- Mostar
- Bombing of Zagreb
- Spring Awakening
- Transdanubian Hills
- Lika-Primorje
- Nagykanizsa-Körmend
- Sarajevo
- Lijevče Field
- Trieste
- Zelengora
- Poljana
- Odžak
The Battle of Kupres (Croatian: Bitka za Kupres) was fought in 1942 during World War 2 in Independent State of Croatia between the forces of the Independent State of Croatia and the Yugoslav Partisans, in and around the town of Kupres in western Bosnia. The Partisans launched three concentrated attacks against the garrison of 1,500 men during the nights of 11/12 August, 14 August and 19 August. Although outnumbered, the Black Legion, Croatian Home Guard and local militia units successfully defended the town against several Partisan brigades.
Background
In July 1942, the 2nd Proletarian Brigade moved on Kupres and, with the assistance of local Partisans, seized control over several villages in the vicinity. During the night of 4 August 1942 the Partisans attacked the town of Livno and captured it in the following days. The plan of the National Liberation Army Supreme Command, following the seizure of Livno, was to move the Proletarian Assault Brigades to Kupres, whose capture was vital for further actions in the valley of River Vrbas.[1]
The battle
Yugoslav Partisans 11/12 August 1942, 13 battalions with around 2,100 men[2]
- 2nd Proletarian Brigade
- 3rd Proletarian (Sandžak) Brigade
- 4th Proletarian (Montenegrin) Brigade
- 10th Herzegovinian Brigade
- 3rd Krajina NOP Detachment
14 August 1942, 16 battalions with around 2,400[3] - 3,000[4] men
- 2nd Proletarian Brigade
- 3rd Proletarian (Sandžak) Brigade
- 4th Proletarian (Montenegrin) Brigade
- 10th Herzegovinian Brigade
- 1st Krajina Brigade
- 3rd Krajina NOP Detachment
Independent State of Croatia 11/12 August 1942, in total around 1,400 men[2]
- Black Legion
- Kupres Militia
- XVII Ustaša Battalion
- 9th Artillery Battalion
- 9th Infantry Regiment
- 5th Gendarmerie Regiment
14 August 1942, around 1,500 armed men[5]
- Black Legion
- Kupres Militia
- XVII Ustaša Battalion
- 9th Artillery Battalion
- 9th Infantry Regiment
- 5th Gendarmerie Regiment
- 14th Infantry Regiment
References
- ^ Leković 1965, p. 427.
- ^ a b Davor Marijan: Borbe za Kupres 1942., Zagreb 1999., p. 104-105, 200 (in Croatian)
- ^ Leković 1965, p. 458.
- ^ Davor Marijan: Borbe za Kupres 1942., Zagreb 1999., p. 125 (in Croatian)
- ^ Davor Marijan: Borbe za Kupres 1942., Zagreb 1999., p.117 (in Croatian)
- Leković, Mišo (1965). Ofanziva proleterskih brigada u leto 1942 [Offensive of Proleterian Brigades in the Summer of 1942]. Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Vojnoizdavački Zavod.
