Vojin Grbic: Draza Mihailovic Collaborated with Nazis

By Voin Grbic,
National Secretary of the League of Canadian Serbs

(The Windsor Daily Star, 6 April 1946, p.5) — Sir, a few days ago a statement appeared in
your paper defending Draza Mihailovich. The statement was issued by Pero Bulat, national
president of the so -called Serbian Shield Society. The statement was issued following the
announcement of the capture of Mihailovic and his “grand division” of 11 men.

Mr. Bulat goes to great lengths in calling the Yugoslav government a “dictatorial regime of the
self-proclaimed marshal;” and, in so many words, Mr. Bulat is calling for intervention on
behalf of Mihailovich.

I don’t think it necessary to go into details explaining that the statement is a distortion of facts,
because Canadians are familiar with the history of heroism of the “General.” There are
Canadians who were in Yugoslavia, fighting on the side of the people, against the Germans and
their collaborationists, the Chetniks. Major William Jones, whose report on true conditions in
Yugoslavia we read in the Canadian papers, is one of the most outstanding and best informed
persons in Canada on the subject of who is who in Yugoslavia.

Mr. Bulat’s claim that Mihailovic was never accused of collaborating with he enemy, and that
Mihailovic was co-operating fully with the Allies, is entirely mistaken.

Speaking in the British Parliament on February 22, 1944, the then Prime Minister, Winston
Churchill, said: “General Mihailovic, I much regret to say, drifted gradually into position where
his commanders made accommodations with Italian and German troops…”

And of Marshal Tito Mr. Churchill said: “a formidable champion of those who strike for
freedom…” and he went on to say: “The principle of keeping good faith with those who have
kept good faith with us, and of striving, without prejudice or regard for political affections, to
aid those who strike for freedom…”

“In Marshal Tito,” continued Mr. Churchill, “the Partisans have found an outstanding leader,
glorious in the fight for freedom. Unhappily, perhaps inevitably, these forces came into
collision with those under Mihailovich. Their activities upset his commanders accommodations
with the enemy… At present, however, Tito’s forces are the only people doing any fighting
against the Germans.” Prime Minister Churchill named Tito then as the Allies’ choice in strife-
torn Yugoslavia, and pledged: “We intend to back him with all the strength we can.”

Of course, Mr. Bulat remembers all that, for he and his Chetniks accused Mr. Churchill of
being an enemy of the Serbian people, even “worse than Hitler.” We could quote pages of what
they wrote about Churchill, against Britain and the Allies for “selling” the Serbs to the Reds,
and this was all during the war, when unity of all freedom-loving people was essential, when
our boys were dying. In the newspaper that Mr. Bulat now owns, they printed an article quoting
Mihailovic when he was threatening to fight the Allies if they dared give any aid to Tito, and
this is what the “hero” said: “This should be well-considered by those who try to send aid to
Tito’s Partisans and those who promise more help: this is our last warning.” They also wrote
that the British are only fighting “to the last Serb.” You wouldn’t call that the co-operation with
the Allies, would you, Mr. Bulat?

Since that time many other things have happened. The Yugoslav state commission for the
investigation of war criminals and criminal acts issued two volumes containing documents
found on the captured traitors and enemy officers and men. It proves very well the close ties of
Mihailovic not only with the Germans and Italians, but also with the most terrible butchers of
the Serbian peoples, the Croatia Ustashi, whom Mihailovich was supposed to be fighting.

The world will receive a report of a just trial of a traitor to his people. The documents are
numerous and convincing.

There is but one thing we would like to note and that is, Mr. Bulat and Chetniks do not
represent and do not speak in the name of the Canadians of Serbian origin. The great majority
of the Canadian Serbs, together with the rest of the Canadian people, stood and still stand on
the side of those “who struck for freedom.” Many of our boys gave their lives against those
whom Mr. Bulat defends. This is also true of the majority of the Serbians in Yugoslavia. This is
particularly true of Bulat’s own family. His wife, son and daughter, his brothers and relatives,
fought on the side of Tito, that is on the side of the Allies and against Mihailovic. His daughter
Dragica, gave her life in that struggle. His son Rade, who is now a colonel in Tito’s army, was
one of the foremost organizers of the Partisan units. Mr. Pero Bulat knows all that; Canadian
Serbs are also familiar with these facts.

Great injustice is being done to the Serbian people by linking them with Draza Mihailovic; that
is with Hitler. We had our quislings, that is true, but in comparison, Serbian people gave more
for the Allied cause than many other even bigger nations. Saying that the Serbs are with and for
Mihailovic means that they were on the side of the enemy. The records of history prove the
contrary.

Voin Grbic,
National Secretary of the League of Canadian Serbs
Toronto, Ont.