During WWII Yugoslavia was not only fighting the Germans, but themselves in a dirty guerilla war pitting brother against brother, father against son. There were the Partizans (Communists under Tito who was half Slovene half Croat) and the Chetniks (Those loyal to the King of Yugoslavia, who was a Serb, led by a Serb called Draza Mihailovic). Most people of a certain age know that Churchill backed Tito in WWII. There are questions as to why Churchill would back a Communist. Churchill wanted to back the group who was killing the most Germans, which was apparently the Partizans, but with terrible reprisals. This is a fantastically honest book from a man who was with Mihailovic in the mountains of Serbia. He just tells his story as he witnessed it without adding comment or judgements. He describes the people and landscape of Serbia perfectly, getting under the skin of their character and reasons why they behaved as they did. He acknowledges the disappointments experienced when the British failed to deliver, and the emotional torment Mihailovic went through when making decisions. For anyone wanting to know more about what is behind the tensions in former Yugoslavia, read this book. There is more to Yugoslavia than Tito...
