The LXXXXVII (97th) Army Corps was created in Italy on 28 September 1944 by renaming the troops of the Operational Zone of the Adriatic Littoral.

The task of the Corps was to secure the northeastern Adriatic coast against an Allied invasion and to fight against partisans.

In the area of the corps, the coast was fortified with artillery and a line of defense along the Ćićarija plateau between Trieste and Rijeka was formed.

At the beginning of April 1945, the strong Yugoslav 4th Partisan Army advanced swiftly along the Dalmatian coast, heading towards Rijeka and Trieste.

In order to counteract this advance, the newly formed 188th Mountain Division was moved to the area in question.