Ustaše regime's terror made it a recruitment center for partisans, secret memo reveals

A recently uncovered secret memorandum from German archives sheds new light on the internal dynamics of Croatia during World War II. The document suggests that the Ustaše regime's brutal and "senseless terror" paradoxically fueled its own opposition, transforming into a de facto recruitment center for partisan forces.

The memorandum, described as a first-class historical source, indicates that a significant civil-national opposition was already present within Croatian society by the spring of 1943. This internal dissent was apparently exacerbated by the regime's extreme violence and oppressive policies.

This revelation challenges previous understandings of the period by highlighting the internal resistance that developed against the Ustaše government. The findings suggest that the regime's methods of control were counterproductive, driving segments of the population towards the partisan movement.