OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES WASHINGTON. D. C. SUMMARY JUGOSLAVIA AND THE PARTISANS I. MILITARY INFORMATION The Partisans now have about 300,000 troops in the field, including women, and children as young as fourteen. These forces, which are disposed throughout Jugoslavia, but operate under Tito's central command, are divided into 11 army corps and 3 army commands, and sub-divided into divisions, brigades, etc. Armed with pistols, rifles, sub-machine guns and hand grenades, they engage in skirmishes and demolition, killing Germans and blowing up German equipment. They have no fixed lines, nor can they hold fixed lines against German troops and German armor, unless differently trained and equipped. Opposing the Partisans are about 200,000 German troops, consisting 17 divisions averaging 10,000 men each and 40 garrisons averaeing 700 men each; also 100,000 Hungarian troops; 120,000 Bulgarian troops; 20,000 Ustashi; 110,000 Domobran, and 60, Cetniks, Rupniks, etc. The Axis forces hold all the principal cities in Jugoslavia and all of the main lines of communication between them.They are able to travel at will in the country (provided they travel in force), and to maintain two north-south communication routes from the Austro-Hungarian frontier through Jugoslavia and Albania down into Greece. They are also able to extract from Jugoslavia limited amouuts of food, cooper, chrome, and other native resources. But they are prevented by the actions of the Partisans from enjoying the full, or anthers near the full, material benefits that otherwise would be available to them. The Partisans control most of the Jugoslavia area outside the hence they are able to Drovide territory well located for the British and American intelligence activities both within and beyond the borders of Jugoslavia. II. ECONOMIC INTELLIGENCE Although Jugoslavia hs.s abundant and varied resources ordinarily more than sufficient for the support of the population, the people of Jugoslavia are now in acute need of almost everything, and have been for a long time. Food, clothing, military equipment, are all needed, and there are no reserves of any kind to speak of. The medical situation is typical. Anaesthetics and drugs are practically non-existent; suitable food for the sick is unobtainable; and even bandages are so scarce that they are used over and over again, and are merely washed in cold water before shifted from one paitient to the next. A British medical officer who has travelled the country extensively for ten months, thinksit is extremely doubtful, on medicalgrounds, whether the Partisans will have the physical capacity to resist throughout another |