USTASHA VIOLENCE AGAINST SERBS AND JEWS IN THE SUMMER OF 1941: INSIGHTS FROM VICHY DIPLOMATIC DOCUMENTS

Numerous academics addressed the violence against the Serbs and Jews within the Independent State of Croatia. In addition to identifying research gaps in this regard, this paper analyses the letters of Georges Gueyraud, a Vichy diplomat in Zagreb, along with several other documents sourced from the French Diplomatic Archive. Primarily focused on the violence against the Serbs, this paper delves into the period when the violence reached its peak, namely the summer of 1941. It contains Gueyraud’s analysis of the atmosphere of violence in Zagreb that he had witnessed, as well as testimonies of violence from various parts of Croatia that he had acquired. Furthermore, this paper examines the reactions of the Croatian authorities and the press in response to these atrocities. In addition to analysing the content of Gueyraud’s letters, this article evaluates his handling of the information he received, examining the presence of a critical approach. Furthermore, it assesses the accuracy of his information by cross–referencing it with sources and literature.