The Incredible Tito: Man of the Hour Read Free Page A

Tito knew many key people in the Belgrade section of the Communist Party. He contacted them, and a meeting was arranged. At this meeting was the former Yugoslav Parliamentary President, Ribar, and other national non-Communist leaders. At this meeting, which lasted for hours, Tito constantly reiterated his purpose and the purpose of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia:
    â€œTo drive out the invader and liberate the land!”
    Then and there, the Liberation Front for all of Yugoslavia was formed. Communists and non-Communists shook hands and pledged their lives to their country’s freedom. The slogan, spoken first in Slovenia, was confirmed as a battle cry:
    â€œDeath to Fascism, liberty to the people!”
    A few days later, just two weeks after the Germans had announced the complete conquest of Yugoslavia, the first defiant Liberation Front poster appeared in Belgrade:
    DEATH TO ALL FASCISTS!
LIBERTY TO THE PEOPLE!

ORGANIZING PARTISAN BRIGADES
    T ITO was an old and experienced fighter. The better part of his life had been spent in the struggle for human freedom and dignity. He never made the mistake of underestimating the enemy. He had seen the German panzers tried out in Spain, called in by Franco to destroy Spanish Republicanism. He had seen those same panzers, somewhat more perfected, knife through Yugoslavia in ten days. He knew how futile and foolish it would be to send his few half-armed guerrillas against them immediately.
    Instead, he set about perfecting his organization, arming it as well as he could, and enlarging it. Wherever they could be reached, local Yugoslav Communist organizations were contacted. They, in turn, reached out and made common purpose with all anti - axis people they could reach. Liaison was perfected. Disguised as travelling men, as peasants, as housewives, Communist organizers, men and women travelled back and forth through the country. Communist branches were strengthened, arms were apportioned in a way to have the most effect, ammunition stretched as far as it could go.
    And then, when the Communists had done all they could do, they waited for the opportune moment to strike. They had hardly completed their preparations when it came. In June, 1941, two months after the defeat of Yugoslavia, the Nazi panzers poured over the Russian frontier. The Stukas smashed at the Russian cities.
    In Yugoslavia, an immediate effect of the Russian invasion was apparent. Needing every German soldier he could lay hands on, and believing that Yugoslavia was completely conquered, Hitler withdrew most of his Nazi garrisons. He left a small but strong holding force—and against that force the Liberation Front struck.
    And for the first time, people outside of the Balkans heard of the Partisan Brigades, and their leader, Marshal Tito.

WHAT IS A “PARTISAN”?
    S OMETHING should be said here of the origin of the term “Partisan,” and the Partisan method of warfare. Curiously enough, the first Partisan brigades were American, and both the word and the method came in-to being during our revolution.
    Continental farmers, when the occasion arose, would take down their guns, leave their homes, and meet at an appointed spot. Then they would attack a British garrison, or an outpost or a marching column. They would appear suddenly, strike hard and quickly, and then melt away before the enemy could reorganize. When the enemy was in a position to strike back, the Partisans had disappeared, gone back to their homes, ceased to exist as an army.
    That feature, the ability to assemble quickly, strike quickly, and then disappear if the need should arise, is the most striking quality of Partisan bands. You will see how, again and again in the history of Tito’s struggle, this feature was used to full advantage.

THE PARTISAN BRIGADES STRIKE
    W HEN the news of the Nazi attack on Russia arrived, the Liberation Front acted quickly and skillfully. The first uprisings were led by Communists, and they