Hitler's New Disorder: The Second World War in Yugoslavia - Hardcover

Pavlowitch, Stevan K.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0231700504 ISBN 13: 9780231700504

Publisher: Columbia Univ Pr, 2008

Synopsis

The history of the Second World War in Yugoslavia was for a long time the preserve of the Communist regime led by Marshal Tito. It was written by those who had battled hard to come out on top of the many-sided war fought across the territory of that Balkan state after the Axis Powers had destroyed it in 1941, just before Hitler's invasion of the USSR. It was an ideological and ethnic war under occupation by rival enemy powers and armies, between many insurgents, armed bands and militias, for the survival of one group, for the elimination of another, for belief in this or that ideology, for a return to an imagined past within the Nazi New Order, or for the reconstruction of a new Yugoslavia on the side of the Allies. In fact, many wars were fought alongside, and under cover of, the Great War waged by the Allies against Hitler's New Order which, in Yugoslavia at least, turned out to be a "new disorder." Most surviving participants have since told their stories; most archival sources are now available. Pavlowitch uses them, as well as the works of historians in several languages, to understand what actually happened on the ground. He poses more questions than he provides answers, as he attempts a synoptic and chronological analysis of the confused yet interrelated struggles fought in 1941-5, during the short but tragic period of Hitler's failed "New Order," over the territory that was no longer the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and not yet the Federal Peoples' Republic of Yugoslavia, but that is now definitely "former Yugoslavia."

About this title

Review:

"Pavlowitch has brought fresh interest to the study of the Second World War in Yugoslavia, in an elegantly written history."--Professor James Gow, King's College, London

"Reading this book has provided many new insights and has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience."--Klaus Schmider, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst

"An indispensable addition to the library of every Balkan historian or student."--Marcus Tanner, Balkan Insight

"Highly recommended."--Choice

"Hitler's New Disorder promises to become essential reading...Pavlowitch has made an outstanding contribution."--Christof N. Morrissey, H-German

"An indispensable sourcebook for anyone interested in the history of the Balkans during this period."--Robert M. Hayden, The International History Review

"A very solid 'synthetic treatment' that has long been needed. It must have been a herculean effort to keep track of various events, let alone make sense of all of the interweaving elements."--Historian

Synopsis:

In 1941, a few months before Hitler's invasion of the USSR, the Axis powers conquered the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Until the end of World War II, a series of interrelated struggles took place over this territory, an ideological and ethnic war waged by rival powers and armies and fought between insurgents, armed bands, and militias. These groups were influenced by many ideologies and sought either to return to an imagined past within the Nazi New Order or to form a new Yugoslavia sympathetic to the Allied cause. The victors were communists, led by Marshal Tito, and, until now, the history of this short but tragic period has been mainly told from their perspective.Drawing on oral histories and archival sources only recently made available, Stevan K Pavlowitch, a world-renowned historian of the Balkans, reconstructs a complete portrait of this complicated history. Many wars were fought alongside, as well as under the cover of, the Allies' war against Hitler's New Order, and in Yugoslavia, these battles created a 'new disorder' that historians are only now beginning to understand. Turning to the work of scholars in several languages, Pavlowitch illuminates what actually happened on the ground, providing a definitive history of what Yugoslavs endured on both the Axis and the Allied sides.

About this edition

• Publisher: Columbia Univ Pr
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0231700504
• ISBN 13: 9780231700504
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 333