At a Crossroads - A Narrative Yugoslav AAR

[blklizard]

So much work for one terrorist.

This terrorist is just so lucky.

Section I

Chapter 24

Pavelić hadn't slept so soundly for several months but, following his narrow escape from Germany and enjoying a delicious familiar cooking of his mother, he finally collapsed in bed and woke up late in the afternoon. As he laid in bed for a few extra minutes, he could hear the voices of his family downstairs and the memories of his childhood rushed back to him. This was one of the few days where he wished he never grew up and didn't bore the burden of his people.

His family moved to Italy during the First World War when they fled the battlefields hoping to find a new and safer home. Pavelić somehow returned to Yugoslavia where he saw with his own eyes the struggles of his people. If he remained in Italy with his people, Pavelić was certain he would be content with his life as they managed to earn decent wages and enjoyed a fairly high standards of living if they worked hard.

While they tried to persuade him to stay and settle down, his family members couldn't stop him from doing what he felt he was destined to do. He had seen far too much to stop now, especially when he signed the agreement with the IMRO. If they heard anything about him abandoning his organization and cause, they would track him down and kill him and all his family members. This was not what he wanted.

In the temporary safety of his family's home, Pavelić once again had the luxury to think about his decision regarding his agreement with the IMRO. These people wouldn't hesitate to kill and they would kill his entire family if he gave them a reason to. Sometimes, he did believe he met the Satan and sold his soul for his people. It was too late to back out now that he signed the papers. He either had to go through it or he would have a bullet through his head.

Reluctantly, he got up fro his bed and went downstairs for a quick meal. Worried he might attract the wrong attention to his family, Pavelić preferred to be on the move so the local authorities could never confirm his whereabouts. This was his battle for his people so he would rather his family be left out of it. He already had plenty of close reliable friends who would aid him in achieving his goal of liberating his people.

 

[Nikolai]

IMRO, the scourge of the civilized world.

 

[blklizard]

IMRO, the scourge of the civilized world.

I thought there was another scourge during this era.

Section I

Chapter 25

Not wanting to get his family involved in the mess he was in, Pavelić frequently changed locations using false names to help him cover his tracks. The longer it took for those loyal to Alexander to find out where he was, the more he could accomplish without meeting so much resistance. Italy wasn't exactly a safe place but he was definitely encountering far fewer problems and he would prefer to keep it that way.

Having already established some contact with the fascists in Italy, Pavelić realized that he had more allies within reach than he first believed and the fascists he met so far were very understanding of his cause. They were necessary friends if he hoped to get more funding and help against the vile tyrant, Alexander. This day, he just happened to be meeting with a few of them to rally their support.

He was supposed to not only meet with a few influential Italian journalists but also a man by the name of Arnaldo. The few influential Italian journalists were already critical to his cause since they could help him create sympathy and understanding of Croats among the Italian populace. This type of support would give his people the recognition they needed for an independent Croatia not oppressed by a Serbian monarch.

Arnaldo, however, was far more important than these influential Italian journalists put together since he was the brother of Benito Mussolini. In addition to having many contacts with numerous influential newspapers, Arnaldo also had significant political might which could be used to better pressure Yugoslavia into granting the Croats their independence. Pavelić would prefer to avoid further bloodshed of his people if he could avoid it.

The Italian politician appeared to be very supportive of Croatian independence and was even willing to go as far as saying no territorial concession was needed should it happen with the intervention of Italy. Pavelić felt far more comfortable with these people than those of the IMRO but it was too late to have regrets. He might as well take advantage of his numerous allies to actually make his dream a reality and worry about his future at another time.

 

[blklizard]

Section I

Chapter 26

Jelić quickly packed his bags for the new trip Pavelić assigned him. The two of them met a few days ago in the Italian capital where they spent hours talking about their narrow experiences with local authorities. Then, Pavelić finally got down to business and told Jelić about where he was needed. The man emphasized that only Jelić was capable of accomplishing this task which was why he was picked.

Feeling special to be picked out for this task, Jelić agreed without hesitation and began packing the moment he returned to a haven in a Croatian community somewhere in Northern Italy. He packed everything he needed and a few sentimental items because he wasn't expected to be coming back home, at least not within a year or so depending on how his trip went.

Since a young age, Jelić had wondered about going abroad to see the world. Financial limitations had been a key factor in that not becoming a reality until recently when Pavelić said he found a few allies willing to help fund this trip. Jelić didn't ask who these new allies were but he suspected they were some top officials in the Italian government according to the rumors he picked up before meeting with Pavelić.

His first destination would be somewhere in South America. The exact location wasn't decided but Pavelić ensured him that he had some contacts there who would assist him once he reached the continent across the ocean. How Pavelić got allies that far away puzzled Jelić but the man wasn't about to turn down an opportunity to further their cause and travel abroad the lands he only heard of in stories.

The paper he had helped edited, Nezavisna Hrvatska Država, was being distributed to not only various parts of Europe but also throughout the United States of America through a middleman. Pavelić promised that Jelić would meet with this middleman once he travels took him to the USA. The trip would be a lengthy one taking him to various parts of the Americas to help rally support for the Croatian emigrants.

 

[blklizard]

Section I

Chapter 27

Benito Mussolini was quite amused when he read through a brochure written by Pavelić himself. The brochure basically summarized the important historical events of Croatia to support his claims for an independent Croatia. Mussolini was given the brochure by his brother who recommended the content to him. Arnaldo felt the brochure would greatly help Italy in her future expansions.

After he finished with the brochure, he nodded to his brother in approval. Mussolini had been wondering about how to expand the interests of his great nation and this was exactly what he needed. The Pavelić seemed like a good pawn to utilize during these unstable time, especially in the Balkans region where the local governments struggled to maintain good order and were very vulnerable.

While he found Pavelić to be very useful, Mussolini disagreed with his brother regarding their support towards the man. He didn't want to show any indication of supporting Pavelić or the Ustaše because his enemies might use it against him. Pavelić was widely seen as a terrorist by many European nations so, by formerly supporting him and his organization, Mussolini essentially damaged his reputation in the international stage.

Currently, Italy was still in the process of building up her military to better cope with the volatile future ahead of them. The First World War taught the Europeans many critical lessons of life and Mussolini wasn't about to damage his existing relations until he had no uses for them. Pavelić would be a great tool for the upcoming decades depending on what he provided the man.

Mussolini disliked Yugoslavia because the nation controlled regions he saw rightfully belonged to Italy. Other European nations might not see it that way but Mussolini would get his hands on them eventually. A war was out of the question at this moment which meant he needed an indirect way to dismantle Yugoslavia. The tensions were rising in the nation and it was very vulnerable to the uprisings he had in mind.

 

[DrDiddly]

Pavelic is a traitor to the Slavic people! All of those "Croatians" should be slaughtered because of that baboon.

 

[Nikolai]

Pavelic is a traitor to the Slavic people! All of those "Croatians" should be slaughtered because of that baboon.

I find that sentiment a tad excessive.

 

[blklizard]

Pavelic is a traitor to the Slavic people! All of those "Croatians" should be slaughtered because of that baboon.

Let's not go down that route. The majority of the Croats probably just want a simple life where they needn't worry about their basic needs.

Section I

Chapter 28

Alexander paced the room while he listened to one of his advisor reporting his latest findings. Since the escape of Pavelić to Italy, he sent agents across the border to find the man. From what he learned earlier, Alexander knew that Pavelić's family were largely in Italy so it made sense he would reunite with those he could trust. He fully expected the terrorist to be living with his family while plotting who knew what.

When the agents learned that Pavelić wasn't with his family, Alexander didn't believe this one bit and ordered the agents to dig deeper. He felt almost certain the man was being hidden in one of the homes that belonged to his family. One of the agents managed to get some information out of a relative of Pavelić by buying him some drinks. The agent relayed the information to the king who was quite displeased.

Apparently, Pavelić had first ran to his family but he left shortly after with some borrowed money. It was clear that, after all that happened, the man was paranoid and chose to remain hidden if possible. The relative even shared that Pavelić most likely was using a false name but he knew none of the names that would be used. This bit of information certainly complicated matters further.

To make matters even worse, Alexander learned that the Italian newspapers were publishing content supporting the independence of Croatia. The idea of these ideas being publicly shared among the Italian populace was frustrating. It certainly didn't help that Alexander feared the Italian regime under Mussolini was behind all this publication. After all, the man had control of what could and what couldn't be in the newspapers.

If his suspicions were right, Alexander could see the Italian government assisting Pavelić in his agenda. This, combined with the agreement with the IMRO, meant that Yugoslavia was in a dangerous position indeed. Alexander ordered his agents to withdraw from Italy where he suspected they would meet nothing but walls. He needed them back home to help uncover any plots the terrorists might be planning.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Seeking Italy's help is likely to prove just as dangerous as not getting their help at all. Italy surely wants to destroy Yugoslavia, but they most likely would carve off pieces of an independent Croatia as well. Can't have any competing powers in the Adriatic.

 

[Nikolai]

Seeking Italy's help is likely to prove just as dangerous as not getting their help at all. Italy surely wants to destroy Yugoslavia, but they most likely would carve off pieces of an independent Croatia as well. Can't have any competing powers in the Adriatic.

Very true.

 

[blklizard]

Seeking Italy's help is likely to prove just as dangerous as not getting their help at all. Italy surely wants to destroy Yugoslavia, but they most likely would carve off pieces of an independent Croatia as well. Can't have any competing powers in the Adriatic.

Very true.

With our focus on Yugoslavia, the entry of Italy in any form wouldn't be good. Let's hope something is done about them.

Section I

Chapter 29

Perčec carefully studied the list handed over by an Italian officer. He couldn't believe the progress Pavelić had achieved in the short time the man arrived in Italy. Since seeing his associate grabbed by Austrian authority, Perčec was worried about the well-being of his friend. He knew not why his friend was grabbed so he went to all his contacts to get information. If Pavelić's life was threatened, he would do everything in his power to save him.

When he learned about Pavelić being expelled to Germany, Perčec found himself in a tough situation where he was in a lose-lose situation. If he went in pursue of his friend, Perčec would be entering unfamiliar territory where he might actually be a burden if things got complicated. If he remained where he was at, Perčec would be worried sick about the fate of his friend since he lacked any reliable contacts in Germany, not that he knew where his friend was expelled to.

In the end, he made the decision of heading to Italy which was previously their plan before the intervention of the Austrian authorities. Pavelić mentioned his family in Italy so they had an area where they could operate knowing the locals could be trusted. Without any other options, Perčec took the first train to Northern Italy to meet with his friend's family. He hoped they would trust him so they could work together towards a free Croatia.

Upon arrival, Perčec, with no more money in his pocket, walked the remainder of the way until he arrived in the town. When he arrived, his clothes were a mess and he looked no different from a beggar who hadn't have a great life thus far. As a stranger, he quickly got the attention of the locals who viewed him with suspicion. With nothing to lose, Perčec walked up to the first man he encountered in the town.

Luckily for Perčec, Pavelić wrote a letter to his family mentioning his name. As a result, they became very friendly and helped feed him at once along with giving him a change of clothes. They listened to his story about Pavelić being expelled to Germany but none of them seemed worried. Instead, they reassured Perčec that his friend was a resourceful man who would eventually find a way back home, just like when he was a kid and got lost in a nearby forest.

 

[Twighlight Array 17]

Well, I have to say I am cheering for Yugoslavia, especially if they become democratic again. The two Croatian terrorists don't seem especially bad so far, but Ustaše regime was even worse than the Nazis in terms of the cruelty of their methods. Alexander may be a dictator, but he isn't a genocidal.

 

[blklizard]

Well, I have to say I am cheering for Yugoslavia, especially if they become democratic again. The two Croatian terrorists don't seem especially bad so far, but Ustaše regime was even worse than the Nazis in terms of the cruelty of their methods. Alexander may be a dictator, but he isn't a genocidal.

A democratic Yugoslavia will be difficult in terms of gameplay but anything could happen at this point. The Ustaše will get a lot of attention very soon as they begin their operations.

Section I

Chapter 30

The list was quite long but Perčec still studied every item on it with care. The idea of getting the assistance of the Italians, even it in secret, never crossed his mind. Yet, he was standing there with a list of arms and supplies the Italians were willing to provide to the Ustaše for their upcoming operations. He understood that the Italians mostly cared about the collapse of Yugoslavia so they could gain extra land.

The collapse of Yugoslavia mattered little to Perčec who only wanted an independent Croatia to rise from the ashes. He never believed Yugoslavia should exist with so many different ethnic groups as he believed the nation was destined to fall apart one day. He hadn't expected to actually participate in the downfall of Yugoslavia and the birth of Greater Croatia. His contributions would first start with what was in his hand.

Once he finished with the list, Perčec compared what was on the list with what were in the trucks. As soon as he was certain everything was accounted for, Perčec gave the signal for the drivers to be on their way. They must head for the border and find the ideal situation to enter Yugoslavian territory without detection. If even a shipment of weapons and supplies were found, all further smuggling efforts would be multiple times harder.

Despite saying they were providing assistance, the Italians were actually charging the Croatians for everything they were getting. Perčec understood that, upon a successful uprising where Yugoslavia collapsed and Greater Croatia was born, they would need to pay back to the Italians fro all the assistance they were providing. The fight for freedom certainly didn't come cheap for the Croatians.

As soon as the trucks were out of sight, Perčec proceeded to head back to the Italian government building where he would negotiate a second shipment of supplies and weapons. The first shipment was really meant to test the waters while the second and all the future shipments would give the Ustaše the tools they needed for a successful uprising. Things were going in place and Perčec was optimistic about their future.

 

[blklizard]

Section I

Chapter 31

Mihailov was enjoying a good drink when Lycaon entered the room with numerous guards keeping a close eye on him. Lycaon might not have expressed his concern openly but he thought the leader of the IMRO was being too paranoid lately with the increased number of bodyguards. He wondered if there was something his leader knew but was unwilling to even share with him.

Lycaon sat down and accepted a drink from Mihailov who was definitely not himself. He knew his leader for several years and the man never drank so much in his life. Clearly, he was trying to use alcohol to deal with matters that he felt were out of hand. Taking a risk, Lycaon subtly asked Mihailov if anything was wrong and, if yes, whether there was anything he could do to help with the situation.

Starting slow at first to collect his thoughts, Mihailov soon admitted that he was very worried about how things were progressing in Yugoslavia regarding the Ustaše. He said that reliable sources reported that the organization managed to get the backing of the Italian government. Mihailov feared such an alliance would work against the agreement made between the IMRO and the Ustaše.

After pondering for a full minute, Lycaon could see why his leader was worried. The IMRO was a powerful organization feared by many for sure but it was still an organization nonetheless. The Italian government wasn't an enemy they wanted to make and certainly not someone they could hope to defeat. It the Italians wanted Yugoslavia land, then they could easily take those claimed by the IMRO.

Doing his best, Lycaon tried to bring out the optimistic side of the situation. He explained that, with the Italian government backing the Ustaše, the IMRO needed not worry about supplying the supplies and arms to the organization which should cut down on a big expense. In addition, they could use the Italian participation in their advantage if they played their cards right in the shadows. He then explained in detail some of their options.

 

[MarkosDL]

Very interesting narrative, subbed

 

[blklizard]

Very interesting narrative, subbed

Welcome!

Section I

Chapter 32

Pavelić was admiring the large camp that technically belonged to him. The Italians might not be willing to openly support his organization but they were assisting in a number of ways. First, they were providing supplies and arms in amounts the IMRO couldn't possibly supply, even if Mihailov happened to be very generous. This assistance alone already made the Italians his favorite allies.

The Italians went beyond that by providing remote land to the Ustaše to setup their camps. The land was vital since members of the Ustaše needed a place to train. None of them had any experience with firearms which were critical to their success. Pavelić had been worried about the lack of location to train his men against the Yugoslavian police and soldiers whose allegiance was towards the tyrant.

If they were to operate in Yugoslavia, stealth alone wasn't enough. They must strike fear in their enemies and kill those who stood in their path. The IMRO got their reputation for eliminating their enemies so Pavelić and his men must do the same. Until they showed Alexander that they were serious, they were unlikely to be heard. If their voices weren't heard, then they must use violence to get the attention.

This was the first time Pavelić visited this camp because there were a number of other camps the Italians kindly prepared for him. The remote location should make it unlikely for anyone to discover the camps. If someone did accidentally discover the camps, then their elimination would likely never be known once their bodies were disposed somewhere in the wilderness to be fed by the local wildlife.

Luckily for him, the Italians went a step further by offering a few of their relatively low ranking officers who could provide his men some combat training. These won't make them excellent soldiers but they would possess the skills to inflict heavier casualties on their enemies. Given the state of the Yugoslavian military, Pavelić suspected that their training should more or less put them at par with their enemies.

 

[blklizard]

Section I

Chapter 33

Paul read the newspaper and threw it onto the ground. He paced in his room wondering what Alexander was doing. The cousins never exactly got along over the years and the recent developments had distanced the two of them further. Alexander had invited him for discussion in the past but, with their distance, the invitations also stopped coming. Paul feared the direction the king was taking with Yugoslavia.

One could never question the loyalty Paul had towards Yugoslavia. He was just a man who saw a different approach was necessary. He saw Alexander as being too soft with the illusion that words alone could convince the Croatians to side with the government. The supposed dictatorship hadn't been very popular with the majority of the Croats and the death of their prominent politicians didn't help either.

In addition to Alexander's weakness, Paul also blamed the man for the escape of Pavelić. He believed there were multiple opportunities to arrest the man and throw him in jail which Alexander refused to do without the evidence he felt so strongly about. If Pavelić was in jail, they wouldn't have this mess to deal with and Yugoslavia would have one fewer threat to deal with.

Oddly enough, he couldn't help but agree with the Croats terrorists that violence spoke louder than words. Paul wasn't exactly a monster who would massacre the Croatian people to accomplish goals. However, he would not hesitate to execute those suspected of aiding the terrorists. He was certain there were sympathizers within Yugoslavia who needed to be rooted out after whatever they knew were forced from them.

Recently, Paul received news of some actions taken by the terrorist. He had the option to share the information with Alexander but decided in the end to withhold it. Paul hoped that what would transpire soon could finally push Alexander into action. The king might have the title but he had yet to do what was necessary to prove himself. His weakness was sensed by the Croats who happened to be taking advantage of it.

 

[Michaelangelo]

Sounds like a family dispute in the works. At least someone is ready to take action to preserve Yugoslavia.

 

[blklizard]

Sounds like a family dispute in the works. At least someone is ready to take action to preserve Yugoslavia.

Later developments might require more radical approaches.

Section I

Chapter 34

The trip across the Atlantic Ocean wasn't a great experience for Jelić who got seasick very easily so, upon arrival in South America, he was literally one of the first few passengers to leave the ship to stand on solid land once again. From that day onward, Jelić vowed to avoid traveling by sea whenever he could as he had no intentions of reliving the hellish experience at sea except during situations where he had no alternatives.

It took him several weeks to recover from his seasickness but he was once again on his feet. He had met with his contact, a Croatian businessman who was fairly well established in Brazil, The businessman was enjoying a good bit of success since he emigrated to the country nearly a decade ago but he still paid close attention to the news back home. He was very displeased with the formation of Yugoslavia.

When the newspaper Jelić was responsible in editing, Nezavisna Hrvatska Držav, got in the hands of the businessman, he immediately agreed to assist whenever he could by actively writing to Pavelić. As a result, Jelić was sent to South America where he was meant to find more of those who wish to fight for their cause ranging from financial support to actively joining their organization to fight against the tyrant.

All of Jelic's expenses were paid for by the businessman but he chose a simpler lifestyle which further impressed the man. Jelić said during a dinner that he just wanted his people free and no other desire really interested him. His fight had brought him to the Americas, a place foreign to him, but he knew he could find loyal Croatians who were more than willing to help their own people still trap back home under a tyranny.

Touched by what Jelić was saying, the businessman offered to use his contacts to get the message and the newspaper across the South American countries. In addition, he persuaded Jelić to not neglected the United State where he knew a number of fairly powerful Croatian businessman resided in. These men would no doubt also be supportive of their cause if he was willing to see them and speak with them personally.

 

[blklizard]

Section I

Chapter 35

Pavelić watched from a distance as some of his new recruits were doing their target practice. These novices weren't hitting their targets unless they got exceptionally lucky. Fortunately for him, the Italian government had been quite generous with ammunition so they could afford missing their targets. The novices were expected to be experts after a few months of training Pavelić and his officers planned out.

His officers had been training with Italian officers sent by Mussolini which saw them progress very quickly. Their training exercises had been very harsh but no one complained about it. They worked tirelessly to rise through the ranks of the organization because what determined one's rank in the Ustaše was what one could contribute to the organization. The organization happened to need officers to lead the operations in Yugoslavia in the foreseeable future.

With the help of the Italian newspapers, there were numerous Croats who joined the Ustaše in her fight against the tyranny in Yugoslavia. There was no end to recruits seeing all the training camps filled with novices willing to fight for their people. Pavelić would visit the training camps whenever he had some free time on his hands to see how his new recruits were doing.

There was plenty of arms and supplies smuggled across the Italian-Yugoslavia border over the last few months without the Yugoslavia authorities having any idea. The suggestions made by the Italian officials definitely helped make the smuggling very easy and smooth. Pavelić knew that, once his operations were underway, the borders would be tougher to smuggle arms and supplies so he needed to get as much as he could through the borders.

While things were going very well in Italy, Pavelić also kept close contact with his IMRO contacts as they tried to coordinate their first attack. They intended on making the first strike count and deliver a clear message to the tyrant their ultimatum. Either Alexander accepted their demands or he would face the consequences. The tyrant would soon regret his dictatorship over the Croatian people.