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Historians vary in their assessments of Mihilaović. Tomasevich (1975) suggests one main cause of his defeat was his failure to grow professionally, politically or ideologically as his responsibilities increased, rendering him unable to face both the exceptional circumstances of the war and the complex situation of the Chetniks. Tomasevich also criticizes Mihailović loss of the Allies' support through his associations with the Axis, as well as his doctrine of "passive resistance" which was perceived as idleness, claiming "of generalship in the general there was precious little." Pavlowitch (2007) also points out Mihilaović's failure to grow and evolve during the conflict and describes him as a man "generally out of his depth". Roberts asserts that Mihailović's policies were "basically static", and that he "gambled all in the faith of an Allied victory", while the "Chetniks allowed themselves to drift into a policy of accommodation with the [Germans and the Italians] in the face of what they considered the greater danger," the Partisans.

President Harry S. Truman, on the recommendation of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, posthumously awarded Mihailović the Legion of Merit for the rescue of American airmen by the Chetniks. The award and the story of the rescue was classified secret by the State Department so as not to offend the Yugoslav government.


 * "General Dragoljub Mihailovich distinguished himself in an outstanding manner as Commander-in-Chief of the Yugoslavian Army Forces and later as Minister of War by organizing and leading important resistance forces against the enemy which occupied Yugoslavia, from December 1941 to December 1944. Through the undaunted efforts of his troops, many United States airmen were rescued and returned safely to friendly control. General Mihailovich and his forces, although lacking adequate supplies, and fighting under extreme hardships, contributed materially to the Allied cause, and were instrumental in obtaining a final Allied victory." (March 29, 1948, Harry S. Truman)

Almost sixty years after his death, on 29 March 2005, Draža Mihailović's daughter, Gordana, was presented with the posthumous decoration by president George W. Bush. The decision was controversial: in Croatia Zoran Pusić, head of the Civil Committee for Human Rights, protested the decision stating that Mihailović was directly responsible for the war crimes committed by the Chetniks.

In 2009, a Serb group based in Chicago offered a reward of $100,000.00 for help finding Mihailovic's grave.

A commission formed by the Serbian government began an investigation, and in 2010 suggested Mihailovic may have been interred at Ada Ciganlija.

With the breakup of Yugoslavia and the renewal of ethnic nationalism, the historical perception of Mihailović's collaboration has been challenged by parts of the public in Serbia. Several Serbian nationalist groups have been acknowledging Mihailović's legacy by calling themselves "Chetniks". During the Yugoslav Wars, Serb paramilitaries often self-identified and were referred to as such. Vojislav Šešelj's Serbian Radical Party formed the White Eagles, which were identified as Chetniks. Vuk Drašković's Serbian Renewal Movement was closely associated with the Serbian Guard, which was also associated with Chetniks and monarchism. . Reunions of Chetnik survivors and nostalgics and of Mihailović admirers have been held in Serbia Mihailović's name and legacy remain controversial in ex-Yugoslavia and are generally associated with Serbian nationalism. and ethnic cleansing.

In the late 2000s, efforts were made to locate Mihailović's grave.

Mihailovic was rehabilitated in Serbia by an act of the Serbian Parliament in 2004.

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U.S. and Serbian military members commemorate the 65th anniversary of Operation Halyard Aug 28, 2009 Sgt. Sean Mathis