 His father was a veteran who had commanded guerrilla bands in the Macedonian Struggle (1904–08) and Balkan Wars (1912–13).Following the Yugoslav coup d'état in March 1941, Vasilije Trbić was overtly antagonistic towards the political and military leaders of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia, whom he blamed for the Axis invasion of the country.Milivoje Trbić had the rank of captain ("kapetan") in the Royal Yugoslav Army.