View source for Croatian Armed Forces (Independent State of Croatia)

{{distinguish2|the modern-day [[Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia]]}}
[[File:War flag of Croatia Ustasa.svg|thumb|275px|The War flag of the Independent State of Croatia.]]
The '''Croatian Armed Forces''' were formed in 1944 with the uniting of the [[Croatian Home Guard (Independent State of Croatia)|Croatian Home Guard]] (''Domobrani'') and the [[Ustaše militia]].

The Croatian Armed Forces ({{lang-hr|Hrvatske oružane snage}}, HOS) was reorganized in November 1944 to combine the units of the Ustaše and Domobrani into eighteen divisions, comprising 13 infantry, two mountain, two assault and one replacement Croatian divisions, each with its own organic artillery and other support units. There were also several armoured units, equipped in late 1944 with 20 [[Pz III]]N and 15 [[Pz IV]]F and H medium tanks.<ref>Zaloga, 2013, p.44</ref> From early 1945, the Croatian divisions were allocated to various German corps and by March 1945 were holding the Southern Front.<ref name="Thomas, 1995, p.17">Thomas, 1995, p.17</ref> Securing the rear areas were some 32,000 men of the Croatian [[Gendarmerie]] (''Hrvatsko Oružništvo''), organised into 5 Police Volunteer Regiments plus 15 independent battalions, equipped with standard light infantry weapons, including mortars.<ref>Thomas, 1995, p.30</ref>

By the end of March, 1945, it was obvious to the Army command that, although the front remained intact, they would eventually be defeated by sheer lack of ammunition.<ref name="Shaw, 1973, p.101">Shaw, 1973, p.101</ref> For this reason, the decision was made to retreat into Austria, in order to surrender to the British forces advancing north from Italy.<ref name="Shaw, 1973, p.101"/>

==Croatian Home Guard==
{{main|Croatian Home Guard (Independent State of Croatia)}}

==Ustaše Militia==
{{main|Ustaše militia}}

==Croatian Gendarmerie==
The Croatian [[Gendarmerie]] (''Hrvatsko Oružništvo'') was formed on 30 April 1941 as rural police under Major-General Milan Miesler. By September 1943, there were 18,000 men in seven regional regiments. These were divided into 23 companies (one per county plus one for Zagreb).<ref name="Thomas, 1995, p.20">Thomas, 1995, p.20</ref> The companies were subdivided into 142 district platoons, each with several posts. In early 1942, a three-battalion Combined Gendarmie Regiment, in July redisignated ''Petrinja Brigade'', was established for anti-Partisan operations in Slavonia.<ref name="Thomas, 1995, p.20"/> Twelve of the independent Police Volunteer Battalions formed the ''Croatian Gendarmerie Division'' in 1945.<ref>Thomas, 1983, p.22</ref>

==History==

===Organization===

===Marching order at end of 1944===
*'''1. Poglavnik Bodyguard Division'''

*'''1. Croatian Assault Division''' 
**Commander: General [[Ante Moškov]]
**Headquarters: Zagreb

*'''2. Croatian Infantry Division '''
**Commander: General [[Mirko Gregurić]]
**Headquarters: Zagreb

*'''3. Croatian Infantry Division'''
**Commander: General [[Stjepan Mifek]]
**Headquarters: [[Vinkovci]]

*'''4. Croatian Infantry Division'''
**Commander: General [[Antun Nardelli]]
**Headquarters: [[Dvor, Croatia|Dvor na Uni]]

*'''5. Croatian Assault Division '''
**Commander: General [[Rafael Boban]]
**Headquarters: Bjelovar

*'''6. Croatian Infantry Division '''
**Commander: General [[Vladimir Metikoš]]
**Headquarters: Banja Luka

*'''7. Croatian Mountain Division'''
**Commander: General [[Stjepan Perčić]]
**Headquarters: [[Nova Kapela]], [[Batrina]]

*'''8. Croatian Infantry Division'''
**Commander: General [[Roman Domanik]]
**Headquarters: Sarajevo

*'''9. Croatian Mountain Division'''
**Commander: General [[Božidar Zorn]]
**Headquarters: Mostar

*'''10. Croatian Infantry Division'''
**Commander: General [[Ivan Tomašević (soldier)|Ivan Tomašević]]
**Headquarters: Bihać

*'''11. Croatian Infantry Division'''
**Commander: Colonel [[Juraj Rukavina]]
**Headquarters: Gospić

*'''12. Croatian Infantry Division '''
**Commander: Colonel [[Slavko Cesarić]]
**Headquarters: Brčko

*'''13. Croatian Infantry Division '''
**Commander: General [[Tomislav Rolf]]
**Headquarters: Karlovac

*'''14. Croatian Infantry Division'''
**Commander: Colonel [[Jaroslav Šotola]]
**Headquarters: [[Brod na Savi]]

*'''15. Croatian Infantry Division'''
**Commander: General [[Zorko Čudina]]
**Headquarters: [[Doboj]]

*'''16. Croatian Replacement Division'''
**Commander: General [[Milivoj Durbešić]]
**Headquarters: Zagreb

*'''18. Croatian Infantry Division'''

==Commanders==

===Executed===
*Ante Moškov 
*Mirko Gregurić 
*Stjepan Mifek 
*Antun Nardelli 
*Vladimir Metikoš
*Roman Domanik
*Božidar Zorn
*Ivan Tomašević 
*Juraj Rukavina
*Zorko Čudina
*Mijo Škoro

===Unclear===
*Rafael Boban 
*Jaroslav Šotola 
*Milivoj Durbešić

===Emigrated===
*Stjepan Peričić 
*Slavko Cesarić

===Committed suicide===
*Tomislav Rolf

==Notes==
{{Reflist|2}}

==References==
{{Empty section|date=November 2014}}

==Bibliography==
* Shaw, L., ''Trial by Slander: A background to the Independent State of Croatia'', Harp Books, Canberra, 1973. ISBN 0-909432-00-7
* Thomas, N., Abbott, P. and Chappell, M. ''Partisan Warfare 1941–45'' Osprey, Oxford, 1983. ISBN 0-85045-513-8
* Thomas, N., Mikulan, K. and Pavelic, D. ''Axis Forces in Yugoslavia 1941–45'' Osprey, London, 1995. ISBN 1-85532-473-3
* Zaloga, S.J., ''Tanks of Hitler's Eastern Allies 1941–45'' Osprey, Oxford, 2013. ISBN 978-1-78096-022-7

{{Wikipedia|Croatian Armed Forces (Independent State of Croatia)}}

[[Category:Military of the Independent State of Croatia]]