▁ ▁Operation ▁Rö ss els pr ung ▁was ▁a ▁coup ▁de ▁main ▁operation , ▁involving ▁direct ▁action ▁by ▁a ▁combined ▁par ach ute ▁and ▁gl ider - bor ne ▁assault ▁by ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 th ▁SS ▁Par ach ute ▁Battalion ▁and ▁a ▁planned ▁subsequent ▁link - up ▁with ▁ground ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁XV ▁Mountain ▁Corps ▁conver ging ▁on ▁Dr var . ▁The ▁air bor ne ▁assault ▁was ▁preced ed ▁by ▁heavy ▁bomb ing ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁by ▁the ▁Luft wa ffe . ▁The ▁ground ▁forces ▁included ▁Home ▁Guard ▁forces ▁of ▁the ▁Independent ▁State ▁of ▁Cro atia ▁along ▁with ▁collaboration ist ▁Ch et nik s . ▁T ito , ▁his ▁principal ▁headquarters ▁staff ▁and ▁the ▁Al lied ▁military ▁personnel ▁escaped , ▁despite ▁their ▁presence ▁in ▁Dr var ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁the ▁air bor ne ▁assault . ▁The ▁operation ▁failed ▁due ▁to ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁factors , ▁including ▁fier ce ▁Part isan ▁resistance ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁itself ▁and ▁along ▁the ▁approaches ▁to ▁Dr var . ▁The ▁failure ▁of ▁the ▁various ▁German ▁intelligence ▁ag encies ▁to ▁share ▁the ▁limited ▁intelligence ▁available ▁on ▁T ito ' s ▁exact ▁location ▁and ▁the ▁lack ▁of ▁cont ing ency ▁planning ▁by ▁the ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁German ▁air bor ne ▁force ▁also ▁contributed ▁to ▁the ▁un success ful ▁outcome ▁for ▁the ▁Germ ans . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁A xis ▁Case ▁White ▁and ▁Case ▁Black ▁off ens ives ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁six ▁months ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 3 ▁caused ▁significant ▁set back s ▁for ▁the ▁Part is