Драгољуб Јовановић и СССР (1939-1941)

Abstract

Dragoljub Jovanović was a representative of the Serbian political and intelectual elite, which in the sircumstances of accumulated inner political tensions and foreign political threats to the existence of yugoslavian state endeavoured to secure its support for political operations, both on inner and the foreign stage, through a wide support of the Soviet Union. Various political ongoings incited Dragoljub Jovanović to turn to the Soviets. The ideological closeness and traditional Russophilia, fallout with his political comrades in the Alliance of farmers and the need for political security all led him to USSR. The posssibility of German agression towards the yugoslavian kingdom and the increasing british presense in the political life of Kingdom of Yugoslavia turned him towards the Soviet Union. After establishing a close contact with the soviet diplomatic representatives in Belgrade, Dragoljub Jovanović often mediated in the confidential meetings between the soviet diplomacy and yugoslavian officials. Having earned the sovet trust, he found himself in a possition where the soviet side saw him as a representative of the strongest political group which, in the sircumstances of occupation and possible nationwide resistance organizing, would make a unique front along with the communists, which would gather antifascist forces who would be ready to actively oppose the german, hungarian, bulgarian and italian occupation of serbian national teritory.