the large movement in the spring, but signs of an imminent Axis offensive in January 1943 made Tito order the commencement of the operation without delay. The operation was to be carried out in three stages: the first was an advance to Neretva, the second was from Neretva to Drina, and the third from Drina to the river Lim, and further to the south-east. The main intention was to revive Partisan presence and activities in these areas. On 8 February in Tomislavgrad, Tito presented the plan for the first stage in a conference with the staffs of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Division, and issued the necessary orders and directives. The execution of the offensive was facilitated by the fact that the main forces Tito was counting on for the operation (the 1st and 2nd Proletarian and 3rd Shock Division) were deployed outside the area affected by the operation Weiss 1. The most distant unit, the 1st Proletarian Division, was ordered to begin preparing for a start-off march in late January. The main Partisan force was divided into three columns: Right Column—the (2nd Proletarian Division) was to advance over Imotski, Posušje and Drežnica with the aim of cutting off communications in the Neretva valley, and protecting the right flank of the Partisan main force against the enemy garrison at Mostar. Central Column—the (3rd Shock Division) had the most difficult task: to capture Gornji Vakuf, Prozor, Ostrožac on Neretva and Konjic, and to open the way across the Neretva at Konjic. Left Column—the (1st Proletarian Division) was ordered to advance over Gornji Vakuf, Solakova Kula, Bradina and Ivan sedlo, protecting the right flank of the Partisan main force against the enemy garrison at Mostar, destroy all traffic installations between Konjic and Sarajevo and provide protection for the Partisan northern flank against possible enemy intervention from Sarajevo by securing the main mountain pass of Ivan Sedlo. 7th Banija Division was tasked with acting as the group's rearguard and protecting the recently formed "Central Hospital" with some 4,000 sick and wounded. The hospital was created in order to provide protection to the wounded, since they were routinely targeted for execution by the Axis. The existence of the "Central Hospital" had a profound impact on the course and outcome of future operations. The Right Column (2nd Proletarian Division) started its advance with easy victories over NDH garrisons in Posušje and Imotski on 9 and