| Battle of Kupres | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part ofWorld War II in Yugoslavia | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
Axis: Independent State of Croatia | Allies: Partisans | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Franjo ŠimićRafael Boban | Sreten Žujović | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 Croatian Home GuardKupres Militia | 2nd Proletarian brigade 3rd Proletarian 4th Proletarian brigade 10th Herzegovinian Brigade 1st Krajina Brigade 3rd Krajina NOP Detachment | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,400–1,500 | 2,100–3,000 | ||||||
TheBattle of Kupres (Croatian:Bitka za Kupres) was fought in 1942 duringWorld War II in theIndependent State of Croatia, between the forces of the Independent State of Croatia and theYugoslav Partisans, in and around the town ofKupres in westernBosnia. The Partisans launched three concentrated attacks against the garrison of 1,500 men during the nights of 11/12 August, 14 August, and 19 August. Although outnumbered, theBlack Legion,Croatian Home Guard, and local militia units successfully defended the town against several Partisan brigades.
In July 1942, the 2nd Proletarian Brigade moved on Kupres and, with the assistance of local Partisans, seized control over several villages in the vicinity. During the night of 4 August 1942 the Partisans attacked the town ofLivno and captured it in the following days. The plan of the National Liberation Army Supreme Command, following the seizure of Livno, was to move the Proletarian Assault Brigades to Kupres, whose capture was vital for further actions in the valley ofRiver Vrbas.[1]
Yugoslav Partisans 11/12 August 1942, 13 battalions with around 2,100 men[2]
14 August 1942, 16 battalions with around 2,400[3] - 3,000[4] men
Independent State of Croatia 11/12 August 1942, in total around 1,400 men[2]
14 August 1942, around 1,500 armed men[5]
