| Summary/Abstract |
During World War II, American Army Air Forces commanders cooperated with Communist Partisans and their Chetnik enemies to rescue thousands of downed airmen from occupied Yugoslavia. American intelligence realized that a British-exclusive alliance with the Partisans hampered the ability to rescue as many airmen as possible. US commanders were unwilling to divert significant resources to the Balkans but instead gambled that the Chetniks might be willing to cooperate with rescuers as well. Air Force commanders were involved just enough to ensure that hundreds evaded capture, without involving themselves in a conflict where Americans had no national interest. These commanders showed the value of pragmatic cooperation over grand, ideological alliance.
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