What is the cruelest thing you have heard about WW2?

This answer contains graphic and disturbing images.

Everyone knows about the Nazi death camps. And everyone knows about the Japanese prisoner of war camps.

But did you know that the fascist Utase government in Croatia set up their own death camp system independent of the Nazis? And it was in some ways worse the Nazi camps- We know about what went on there from Nazi General von Horstenau who wrote: "The Ustaša camps in the NDH are the "Epitome of horror"!

Von Horstenau found himself so horrified by Utase crimes that he tried to overthrow the pro-Nazi government in Croatia, in order to shut down the camps.

Utase prepare to saw a man’s head off-

Yup they were called the Jasenovac Camps. And they aren’t talked about much, becaue there was a big push to cover them up in an attempt to force Yugoslavia to work as a united country. Part of the reason that Yugoslavia erupted into such intense racial tensions had to do with the bitter history between the Croats and the Serbs.
During World War, Croatia had a puppet government, similar to Vichy France. The Utase government led by Ante Pavelic persecuted Jews, Romas and especially Serbs.

In their Jasonevac Camps, the Utase had 58 ways of killing people. Most were much less “humane” (note the sarcasm) than gassing. Serb Borislav Seva, who survived the camp by giving the Utase guards shaves, describes some of the methods…

1) burning alive- they didn’t take the “humane” measure of gassing victims before throwing them in the ovens- "Those nine [sick ones] were taken farther away. I see that two of the Ustashas are leading them. We are just standing and watching. The officers are here, too. They took them to the Brick Factory. The ovens were about 50 meters [150 feet] away. They took them there. They opened the doors to the oven, took them by the arms and legs and threw them into the oven--nine of them. Those two were not the only ones throwing [men in the brick oven]. There were more of them who were throwing. The oven had large, metal doors. They can be opened as a door to a room. Two Ustashas grab one [victim]. They do not topple him [to the ground]. They [simply] grab him by the arms and legs and throw him into the oven, into the fire. I was watching with my own eyes. We all watched.”

2. beating to death, burying alive- “”At the dam, they were digging a channel toward the Sava [river]. I was watching with my own eyes as they would kill one [inmate]. I saw so many times when they beat one [inmate]. Ustashas beat him [an inmate] with just about anything--whatever is handy. They kill him [an inmate] right at the dam--with shovels, rifles, wooden spears--. Whoever is sick and falls--only hit, hit. Ustashas finish him off--those charkars [no rank Ustashas]. They kill him and order that he should be thrown into the Sava [river]. Or they cover him with mud while he is still alive. “

3. roasting alive over a spit- while dancing and singing and cheering “I am shaving them there, and I see one tied [man]. They tied him with a chain…"Ustashas are making a fire. Here and there, they made a fire. They made holders for a spit and got closer to the fire. They brought the one in chains. He was so tied [in chains]--arms tied. They topple him down [to the ground]. They took the spit. They pierced him in the ass. Legs tied. On the [spit] holders. And roast him alive. I am watching. I am shaving and watching. They pierce him on the spit--exactly--and roast him alive. They eat and drink next to him. They are drunk. They are having fun and enjoying themselves. They drink next to him and eat. How could they eat and drink?”