Operation Schwarz

Operation Schwarz (German: Unternehmen Schwarz), also known as the Fifth Enemy Offensive (Serbo-Croatian Latin: Peta neprijateljska ofanziva) in Yugoslav historiography and often identified with its final phase, the Battle of the Sutjeska (Serbo-Croatian Latin: Bitka na Sutjesci pronounced [bîtka na sûtjɛst͡si]) was a joint attack by the Axis. Taking place from 15 May to 16 June 1943, it aimed to destroy the main Yugoslav Partisan force, near the Sutjeska River in south-eastern Bosnia. The failure of the offensive marked a turning point for Yugoslavia during World War II. It was also the last big German–Italian joint operation against the partisans. The operation immediately followed Operation Weiss, which had failed to accomplish the same objectives, to eliminate the central Partisan formations and capture their commander, Josip Broz Tito.