From Expansion to Retreat: The Causes of Italy’s Military Withdrawal from Croatia in 1942

Although Italy helped establish the Independent State of Croatia, until early 1942 it pursued political and military expansion at Croatia’s expense. In June 1942, however, this policy shifted abruptly, as Italy withdrew a large parts of its troops from Croatia. This paper analyses the causes of this move, which had long-term consequences not only for Italians and Croatians, but also for the Partisans, Chetniks, and the conduct of the war in Croatia. It further examines Italian–Croatian–German negotiations, revealing both the nature of their alliance and the tensions between Italian military and civil authorities.