Britanci i vojni puč 27. marta 1941. godine

Abstract

The author reconstructs the role of the British factor in the preparation and execution of the Coup d'état on March 27, 1941 in Yugoslavia on the basis of published and unpublished British, Yugoslav and German archival records, memoires and literature. According to this research, both civilian and military British intelligence were involved in the preparation of the Coup, although there was not always the coordination between their actions. After the fall of France, the British side started to invest several times greater amount of money in the creation of public opinion in Yugoslavia in favor of the Allies' goals. At the same time, in mid1940, the main initiative for conducting the Coup d'état came from the Yugoslav side, from Yugoslav General Borivoje Mirković. The conspirator's organization was founded earlier. The impulse for its establishment was given by the Czechs and the Soviets during the Sudeten crisis in September 1938. The predominantly Serb Yugoslav officers who took part in the conspiracy were mostly unsatisfied with the way of the solution of the Croatian issue. The British policy at the highest level just used it later in the most crucial moment for their interests with the aim to change the vectors of the Yugoslav state policy. The main British interest was to use the Yugoslav Army and territory for the protection of unprotected left flank of the Greek Army during the potential clash with the Wehrmacht.