The World war II for Macedonia meant occupation by the Fascist forces, but at the same time integration within the anti-Hitler’s coalition as form of an intensive resistance of the Macedonian people an the nationalities who lived in this area being firmly determined to create their own state within the federal community of Yugoslavia. This is the period when from April 7, 1941 until August 2, 1944, the necessary political and military assumptions for completing the Macedonia state were created.

The attack of the occupying Gendarme HQs in Prilep on October 11,1941 was the beginning of an organized armed uprising under the leadership and command of the military and political Macedonian national body.


In March 1943, there was a reorganization of the political and military leadership and the Headquarters of the National Liberation Partisan nits of Macedonia (GS of NOPOM) and it was expanded and renamed into Main HQs of the People’s Liberation Army and the Partisan Units of Macedonia( NOV and POM GS) and the territory of the Macedonia was controlled by regional and district committees with military HQs in 5 operational theatres. This brought about to the formation of the first units of the People’s Liberation Army in Macedonia and the “Mirce Acev” Battalion, formed on August 18,1943 as the first major military unit. This day is considered to be the Day of the formation of an organized Macedonian Army and as such it has been accepted as the Army day in the Republic of Macedonia.

Military operation with combined forms of armed combat operations were undertaken in line with the further organized formation of battalions and brigades. This resulted in new liberated areas. These successful combat operations resulted in having the ASNOM First Session held on August 2,1944 which is particularly significant since Macedonia was declared to be federal state within the frames of the Democratic Federal Yugoslavia. The creation of the Macedonian state made distinction between the responsibilities and the commitments in the military field with a clear concept of having the Macedonian defence system established as a guarantee of the future of the state. NOV and POM General Staff was freed of a part of the political functions, primarily with regard to the people’s executive authority. That enabled all of the attention to be directed to the armed fighting and the leadership for the final operations for the liberation of the country.

On August 4, 1944, a decision was passed for foundation of the Main Committee of a single People’s Liberation Front of Macedonia, for conducting common mobilization, forming divisions and corps and mobilizing the people’s economy in order to support of the People’s Liberation Army. The epilogue was one the was expected: in October, the previously reorganized operation theatres were turned into corps and the following regional commands were formed: The first Macedonian Corps, the Bregalnica-Strumica Corps and Kumanovo-Skopje Corps.

During the final operations for liberation of the country, until may 15,1945, the Macedonian Army being organized in 3 corps, 7 divisions,22 assault combat, 4 artillery, 3 pioneer and 1 cavalry brigades, had 110.000 soldiers and senior officers out of which 26.000 sacrificed their lives for the future of Macedonia and about 18.000 found themselves in the concentration camps and prisons.