This book is likely to be THE definitive account of the co-operation between Britain and the Yugoslav Communists. The author has researched carefully and provides fresh information and insights. – Much recommended.
NAME: Churchill and Tito, SOE, Bletchley Park and Supporting the Yugoslav Communists in World War II FILE: R2627 AUTHOR: Presenter Martin Mace PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword, frontline BINDING:hard back PAGES: 196 PRICE: £19.99 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: WWII, World War II, World War 2, Second World War, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Balkans, Yugoslavia, Tito, Josip Broz, partisans, SOE, Station X, Bletchley Park, intelligence, air drops ISBN: 1-52670-496-X IMAGE: B2627.jpg BUYNOW: http://tinyurl.com/ydz7q5ph LINKS: DESCRIPTION: This book is likely to be THE definitive account of the co-operation between Britain and the Yugoslav Communists. The author has researched carefully and provides fresh information and insights. – Much recommended. Churchill and Tito were at first sight strange bedfellows. Britain could have been expected to support the monarchist resistance. Churchill took a more pragmatic approach and saw Tito as a much better bet than Mihailovic to fight the Germans in the Balkans. Churchill's decision was to prove inspired and created an environment that also stopped the Soviets sweeping to the Adriatic coast and down into Greece in 1945. Tito followed a unique path after WWII as a Communist Leader, refusing to become a Soviet province or satellite state to the USSR. He also managed to hold the disparate parts of Yugoslavia together until his death, when the tinder box again burst into flame. British support during WWII played an important part in enabling Tito to strike a unique course after WWII and he was to become the first Communist leader to make an Official Visit to Great Britain in 1953. The war in the Adriatic and Eastern Mediterranean received little coverage at the time and not much more after the war, although it played crucial role in the opening Cold War and the current shape of the world. Far more resources were sent to Yugoslavia to support Tito than has been generally recognised. It was not entirely harmonious because Tito had expected to be able to seize Trieste in return for his close working with Britain. The Allies were not prepared to let this happen and one reason was that there was continuing unease that Tito would eventually join with the Soviets and become a satellite under Stalin's tight control. Events proved that Churchill had made a good choice in this respect also and Tito resisted Russian demands to allow their troops into Yugoslavia as an occupation force in the final stages of the war. After 1945, Tito maintained firm control of the states making up Yugoslavia and followed an independent course in what he believed to be Yugoslavian interests. The level of his strength can be seen in the rapidly dissolving unity after his death, leading to bitter internal wars as Yugoslavia broke up. Although a dictator, he is fondly remembered by the people of former Yugoslavia in their new nationhoods.