Battle of Vukovar
Part of the Croatian War of Independence
The water tower in Vukovar, 2005. Heavily damaged in the battle, the tower has been preserved as a symbol of the town's suffering.
Date August 25 - November 18, 1991 Location Vukovar, Croatia Result Yugoslav (Serb) Pyrrhic victory
Combatants
Yugoslav People's Army Serbian paramilitaries Local Serb militias	Croatian National Guard Croatian police and militias Croatian Defence Forces (HOS)
Commanders
Mladen Bratić† Života Panić	Blago Zadro† Mile Dedaković Branko Borković
Strength
Up to 36,000, depending on the phase of the battle	Some 2,000 (in Vukovar)
Casualties
Unofficial Serbian figures: 1,103 dead 2,500 wounded 110 tanks and APCs destroyed 2 planes shot down	Official Croatian figures: 921 dead 770 wounded

The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of the Croatian city of Vukovar by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), supported by various Serbian paramilitary forces, between August-November 1991 during the Croatian War of Independence. It ended with the defeat of the local Croatian National Guard, the near-total destruction of Vukovar and the killings or expulsion of most of the Croat population. Combatants Croatian Army Paramilitary organisations Republic of Serb Krajina Army Yugoslav Peoples Army Bosnian Serb Army Republic of Serbia Paramilitary organisations Commanders Franjo TuÄ‘man (President of Croatia) Anton Tus (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1991-1992) Janko Bobetko (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1992-1995) Atif... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (2000x3000, 2564 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Battle of Vukovar ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Vukovars main street Vukovar Vukovar (Serbian: Вуковар, Croatian: Vukovar, Hungarian: Vukovár) is a city and municipality in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river into the Danube. ... A Pyrrhic victory is a victory with devastating cost to the victor. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_SFR_Yugoslavia. ... The Yugoslav Peoples Army (YPA) (Serbo-Croatian: Jugoslovenska narodna armija or Jugoslavenska narodna armija; Serbian and Macedonian: Југословенска народна армија—JHA; Macedonian and Serbian Latin forms: Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and Bosnian: Jugoslavenska narodna armija—JNA; Slovene: Jugoslovanska ljudska armada—JLA) was the military force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_SR_Serbia. ... A paramilitary is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ... Image File history File links Serbian_Krajina1991. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... The Croatian National Guard (Croatian: Zbor Narodne Garde, ZNG) was the name of the first modern Croatian military force. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Croatia. ... Lebanese Kataeb militia A Militia is an army composed of ordinary [1] citizens to provide defense, emergency or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Croatian Defence Forces (Croatian Hrvatska obrambene snage or HOS) was one of the first armed forces assembled by the Croats during the Croatian Homeland War and the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... General Života Panić (Cyrillic: Живота Панић) (born November 3rd, 1933 in Gornja Crnisava, Yugoslavia died November 19th, 2003 in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro) was the last acting minister of defence amd army chief of staff in the Yugoslav government. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Combatants Croatian Army Paramilitary organisations Republic of Serb Krajina Army Yugoslav Peoples Army Bosnian Serb Army Republic of Serbia Paramilitary organisations Commanders Franjo TuÄ‘man (President of Croatia) Anton Tus (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1991-1992) Janko Bobetko (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1992-1995) Atif... The Plitvice Lakes incident of March 1991 (known in Croatian as Plitvice Bloody Easter, Krvavi Uskrs na Plitvicama / Plitvički Krvavi Uskrs) was a clash between security forces of the Republic of Croatia and armed Serb separatists. ... The Borovo Selo killings of 2 May 1991 (known in Croatia as the Borovo Selo massacre, Croatian:Pokolj u Borovom Selu and in Serbia as the Borovo Selo incident, Serbian: Инцидент у Боровом Селу) were one of the bloodiest incidents in the early stages of the breakup of Yugoslavia. ... Combatants Yugoslavia (JNA) Local Serb forces Croatia (HV, police forces, HOS) Commanders Colonel Ratko Mladić (JNA) Strength JNA 9th Corps (Knin): 63 tanks 45 APCs Other units 6th Operational Zone (Several infantry brigades) Map showing the location of Dalmatia, in present day Croatia Battle of Dalmatia (Croatian: Bitka za Dalmaciju... Ovčara massacre memorial The Vukovar massacre was a war crime that took place between November 18 and November 21, 1991 near the city of Vukovar, a mixed Croat/Serb community in northeastern Croatia. ... Combatants Croatian Army (HV) Yugoslav Army (JNA) Commanders Anton Tus (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1991-1992) Various local commanders Veljko Kadijević (Chief of Staff of Yugoslav Peoples Army) Various local commanders Strength  ?  ? Casualties At least 15 dead  ? At least: 250 tanks, 180 Armoured personnel carriers, 100 Self... Combatants Yugoslav Army (JNA), Montenegro Territorial Defence Forces Croatian Army (HV) Commanders Veljko Kadijević (Chief of Staff of Yugoslav Peoples Army) Anton Tus (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1991-1992) Janko Bobetko (from 1992) Strength Between 7,500 and 20,000 men [1] Up to 2,000 soldiers... Lovas on the map of Croatia Lovas is a village and seat of municipality in the Vukovar-Srijem county of eastern Croatia, located on the slopes of FruÅ¡ka Gora, a few kilometers south of the main road connecting Vukovar with Ilok. ... The Å iroka Kula massacre was a war crime [1] committed by Croatian Serbs forces on October 13, 1991 (the biggest part of it), during Croatian War of Independence, in a village of Å iroka Kula, located 11 km from Gospić and 3 km from Lički Osik. ... The Gospić massacre was an incident that took place between 16 October-18 October 1991 in the town of Gospić, a mixed Serb/Croat community in the district of Lika in Croatia. ... A monument to victims of massacre in Saborsko One of the identified mass-graves in Saborsko The Saborskom massacre was a war crime [1] committed by Serb-led JNA (mostly consisted of Serbs) and rebel Serbs militia Militia of Republic of Serb Krajina (from neighbouring PlaÅ¡ki [2]) on October... Hrvatska Dubica on the map of Croatia Hrvatska Dubica is a village and a municipality in central Croatia in the Sisak-Moslavina county. ... After the attacking forces of the 5th Yugoslav Peoples Army (JNA) corps (Banja Luka corps) had successfully crossed Sava river into Croatia captured Okučani in western Slavonia it was their primary objective to advance along Pakrac - GrubiÅ¡no Polje route and link up with th 28th partisan division... According to the census of 1991, Å kabrnja was inhabited by 1,953 people in 397 households, and the vast majority of them were Croats, there wasnt a single Serb resident. ... After successful completion of Operation Otkos 10, the first offensive operation of such scale by Croatian army in the homeland war, Croatian troops were in position to retake further territory and neutralize a number of serbian held military positions and fortifications. ... Voćin massacre was a massacre of between 45 and 55 Croatian civilians [1] in the village of Voćin, perpetuated by Serb paramilitary units in December 1991 during the Croatian War of Independence. ... On June 21, 1992, the Croatian army attacked the Serbian Territorial Defense on the Miljevci Plateau near Drnis in front of the eyes of UN peacekeeping force (UNPROFOR). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Combatants Croatia UNPROFOR: - Canadian PPCLI - French armour units Republic of Serbian Krajina Commanders Janko Bobetko, Petar Stipetić Rahim Ademi Colonel Jim Calvin Mile Novaković Strength Over 2,500 soldiers, T-72 tanks, Large numbers of artillery 875 members of the 2nd Battalion Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI)  ? Casualties... Combatants Croatia Republic of Serbian Krajina Commanders Croatian Military Command Strength 7,200 soldiers 5000 soldiers Casualties 55 killed, 162 wounded 250 killed, 1,500 POW Operation Flash (Croatian: ) was a brief and successful offensive conducted in the beginning of May 1995 by the the Croatian Army, which removed Serb... The Zagreb rocket attack was a war crime conducted by Serb armed forces that fired ground-to-ground missiles on the Croatian capital of Zagreb. ... Combatants Croatia (HV, HVO) Republika Srpska (VRS) Commanders General Ante Gotovina (HV) Strength Two HV Guard Brigades (4th Motorized, 7th Mechanized) Two HVO Guard Brigades (1st, 3rd Motorized) Other units Units of the 2nd Krajina Corps of the VRS (3 motorized brigades, 5 infantry brigades, 5 light brigades and support... Combatants Croatia (HV) Bosnia and Herzegovina (ABiH) Republic of Serbian Krajina (VSK) Republika Srpska (VRS) Commanders Zvonimir ÄŒervenko (HV) Atif Dudakovic (ABiH) Mile MrkÅ¡ić (VSK) Strength 150,000 soldiers, 350 tanks, 400 artillery pieces, 50 rocket launchers, 50 aircraft and helicopters 40,000 soldiers, 150 tanks, 350 artillery pieces... A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition, often accompanied by an assault. ... Vukovars main street Vukovar Vukovar (Serbian: Вуковар, Croatian: Vukovar, Hungarian: Vukovár) is a city and municipality in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river into the Danube. ... The Yugoslav Peoples Army (YPA) (Serbo-Croatian: Jugoslovenska narodna armija or Jugoslavenska narodna armija; Serbian and Macedonian: Југословенска народна армија—JHA; Macedonian and Serbian Latin forms: Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and Bosnian: Jugoslavenska narodna armija—JNA; Slovene: Jugoslovanska ljudska armada—JLA) was the military force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... Serbs (in the Serbian language Срби, Srbi) are a south Slavic people living chiefly in Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... Paramilitary designates forces whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force, but which are not regarded as having the same status. ... Combatants Croatian Army Paramilitary organisations Republic of Serb Krajina Army Yugoslav Peoples Army Bosnian Serb Army Republic of Serbia Paramilitary organisations Commanders Franjo TuÄ‘man (President of Croatia) Anton Tus (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1991-1992) Janko Bobetko (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1992-1995) Atif... The Croatian National Guard (Croatian: Zbor Narodne Garde, ZNG) was the name of the first modern Croatian military force. ... Languages Croatian Religions Predominantly Roman Catholic Related ethnic groups Slavs South Slavs Croats (Croatian: Hrvati) are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. ...

Although the battle was a significant and symbolic loss for Croatia, which did not regain control of the town until 1998, it was also a very costly victory for the JNA and helped to gain the international support for the Croatian independence. As such, it is widely regarded as having been a crucial turning point in the course of the war.

Background on Vukovar

Vukovar is an important regional centre on the border between Croatia and Serbia, situated on the right bank of the Danube river. It is a major river port and capital of what was, before the war, an extremely ethnically mixed area. In the Vukovar municipality, which included the town and surrounding villages, the 1991 census recorded 84,189 inhabitants of which 36,910 were Croats (43.8%), 31,445 Serbs (37.4%), 1,375 Hungarians (1.6%), 6,124 "Yugoslavs" (7.3%), and 8,335 (9.9%) others or undeclared.^[1] Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ... This article is about the Danube River. ... Categories: Stub | Commercial item transport and distribution | Transportation ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... A municipality is an administrative entity composed of a clearly defined territory and its population and commonly referring to a city, town, or village, or a small grouping of them. ... Languages Croatian Religions Predominantly Roman Catholic Related ethnic groups Slavs South Slavs Croats (Croatian: Hrvati) are a South Slavic people mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. ...

The town of Vukovar itself was inhabited by approximately 45,000 people at start of 1991. A small majority (52.98%) of the city's population was reported to be Croats. Serbs constituted 36.28% of the population and other nationalities made up the remainder.^{[citation needed]} Most of the Croats lived in the town centre, while most of the Serbs lived in the town's industrial suburbs. Prior to 1990, though, the town's population was largely integrated, with an unusually high percentage of mixed marriages and people describing themselves as "Yugoslavs" rather than Serbs or Croats. “Suburbia” redirects here. ...

Prelude to battle

Vukovar

Vukovar (Croatia)

On 25 June 1991, Croatia declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This was strongly opposed by the country's substantial Serb minority, who took up arms against the Croatian government across a wide area of the country. They were supported in their opposition by the Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević and by the Serb-dominated leadership of the JNA. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2631x2170, 462 KB) Summary Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Osijek Slavonski Brod Slatina, Croatia Virovitica Split Rijeka ÄŒakovec Solin Gospić Bjelovar Bilje User:Elephantus/Test... Image File history File links Red_pog2. ... is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Motto Brotherhood and Unity Anthem Hey, Slavs Capital Belgrade Language(s) Serbo-Croatian (spoken throughout the territory), Slovenian, Macedonian, Albanian, Hungarian (all official), and languages of other nationalities. ... MiloÅ¡ević redirects here. ...

At this stage in the Yugoslav conflict, the objectives of Milošević and the JNA were somewhat different. Milošević sought to support the efforts of the rebel Serb communities to secede from an independent Croatia and associate with a Serb-dominated Yugoslavia. The JNA leadership also supported the Serb rebellion but went further, aiming to decisively cripple or overthrow the new Croatian state. According to its former head, Veljko Kadijević, it planned to advance deep into Croatia, capture the capital Zagreb and destroy its armed forces. Having done this, the new Yugoslavia could dictate its western borders, leaving Croatia as a rump state shorn of much of its territory. A key element in this plan was the use of heavy armored forces to capture the Serb-populated region of Eastern Slavonia, and then to advance west from there to Zagreb.^[2] Look up rebellion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Veljko Kadijević (Cyrillic: Вељко Кадиjевић) (born November 21, 1925) was the Minister of Defence in the Yugoslav government from 1988 to 1992,[1] which made him de facto commander of Yugoslav Peoples Army during the Ten-Day War and initial stages of Croatian War of Independence. ... Location of Zagreb within Croatia Coordinates: , Country RC diocese 1094 Free royal city 1242 Unified 1850 Government  - Mayor Milan Bandić Area [1]  - Total 641. ... Eastern Slavonia is the eastern area of Slavonia, northern Croatia. ...

The region was already in the grip of a long-running political crisis. The leading Croatian nationalist party, the HDZ, had little direct influence in the Vukovar municipality, having won none of the area's five parliamentary seats in the 1990 elections. In July 1990, the Serb-dominated Vukovar Municipal Assembly came into conflict with the seceding Croatian national government when it refused to endorse the controversial new Constitution of Croatia, which downgraded the political status of the country's Serb minority. The assembly was dominated by the League of Communists of Croatia. A Serb agricultural engineer, Slavko Dokmanović, was elected chairman of the assembly. Nationalism is an ideology that creates and sustains a nation as a concept of a common identity for groups of humans. ... The Croatian Democratic Union (Croatian: Hrvatska Demokratska Zajednica, HDZ), is a Croatian political party. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Current Constitution of the Republic of Croatia was adopted by the Parliament of the Republic of Croatia on December 22, 1990. ... Communist Party of Croatia (Croatian Komunistička Partija Hrvatske, KPH) was the Croatian branch of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia (KPJ). ... Slavko Dokmanović (born December 14, 1949 in Croatia) is a Croatian Serb who was charged with grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions, violation of the customs of war and crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for his actions in the Vukovar massacre while...

By the spring of 1991, paramilitary militias from Serbia proper – reportedly supported by Milošević through the Serbian Interior Ministry (MUP) – had established themselves in a number of localities in Eastern Slavonia. Serb paramilitaries established a base in the Serb-populated suburb of Borovo Selo on the outskirts of Vukovar. Militant propaganda from both Belgrade and Zagreb added to the tension, radicalising many of the local population and encouraging each side to view the other in the worst possible light. Tensions were further inflamed by the actions of hardline members of the ruling HDZ who carried out attacks against Serb civilians and property.^[3] Lebanese Kataeb militia A Militia is an army composed of ordinary [1] citizens to provide defense, emergency or paramilitary service, or those engaged in such activity. ... The Interior Minister is a member of a Cabinet in a Government. ... Coat of arms of Borovo Borovo (Serbian: Борово), previously called Borovo Selo (Борово Село), is a village and a municipality in eastern Slavonia (Vukovar-Srijem County), Croatia. ... The word militant has come to refer to any individual or party engaged in aggressive physical or verbal combat, normally for a cause. ... For other uses, see Propaganda (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Belgrade (disambiguation). ... The Croatian Democratic Union (Croatian: Hrvatska Demokratska Zajednica, HDZ), is a Croatian political party. ... In times of armed conflict a civilian is any person who is not a combatant. ...

Early stages of conflict

The first casualties at Vukovar came in May 1991, when two Croatian policemen were taken prisoner in Borovo Selo. A detachment of Croatian Interior Ministry (MUP) police was sent in to rescue them on 2 May but came under heavy fire, suffering twelve fatalities and another 20 injured. It was widely reported that the bodies of the dead were mutilated and put on display by the paramilitaries. In the wake of the Borovo Selo killings, relations between Croats and Serbs worsened sharply and intercommunal attacks took place in a number of other places in Croatia over the following months.^[4] May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... The Borovo Selo killings of 2 May 1991 (known in Croatia as the Borovo Selo massacre, Croatian:Pokolj u Borovom Selu and in Serbia as the Borovo Selo incident, Serbian: Инцидент у Боровом Селу) were one of the bloodiest incidents in the early stages of the breakup of Yugoslavia. ...

As the situation in Eastern Slavonia deteriorated, Serb and Croatian paramilitary groups mounted a sporadic campaign of violence and intimidation against each other and against civilians. In Vukovar itself the local militia commander, Tomislav Merčep, gained a reputation for brutality against local Serbs and was eventually removed from his post by the Croatian government. At least 80 Serb civilians were claimed to have been killed or disappeared in these incidents.^[5] On 9 April 1991, Dokmanović wrote a dramatic letter to Croatian President Franjo Tuđman declaring "that the current situation in Vukovar is extremely critical and threatens to escalate any time into inter-ethnic conflict with possible permanent, tragic and unforeseeable consequences, which is particularly emphasized by [the] increasingly frequent arming of civilian population, which continues and is causing the atmosphere of fear and absolute lack of confidence of the entire population in any government institutions." Tomislav Merčep is a controversial politician from Croatia. ... is the 99th day of the year (100th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... ‹ The template below (Foreignchar) is being considered for deletion. ...

In an effort to take control of the situation in Vukovar, the Zagreb government removed the municipal assembly and its chairman from office in July 1991. They were replaced by a government-appointed commissioner, Marin Vidić Bili. This further alienated the local Serbs, but Vidić appears to have had little influence on the ground in any case. Throughout July and August 1991, the Croatian government progressively lost control of Eastern Slavonia as paramilitary forces and local Serb militias, often supported by JNA units stationed in the area, expelled government officials and set up barricades and minefields. Commissioner is a designation that may be used for a variety of official positions, especially referring to a high-ranking public (administrative or police) official, or an analogous official in the private sector (e. ... Closeup of a collection of blinker equipped barricades A barricade is any object or structure that creates a barrier or obstacle to control, block passage or force the flow of traffic in the desired direction. ... A landmine is a type of mine which is placed onto or into the ground and explodes when triggered by a vehicle or person. ...

The JNA took up positions on the other side of the Danube, and JNA gunboats patrolled the river. Sporadic mortar attacks on Vukovar began in July, and long-range artillery attacks began from early August. By the end of August, the population of the city had fallen to around 15,000 people. The remainder comprised a mixture of Croatians, Serbs and other nationalities.^[4] Vukovar was by this time largely surrounded by Serb-controlled territory, and from 25 August onwards was subjected to regular shelling and air attacks. There was, however, no attempt as yet to capture it; the fighting consisted principally of intense exchanges of fire between Croatian- and Serb-held territory.^[6] A gunboat is literally a boat carrying one or more guns. ... For other uses, see Artillery (disambiguation). ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

The battle: part I

From 25 August Vukovar was under constant artillery and rocket bombardment. In the rest of Croatia situaton was dramatic too. In many parts of the country the real war has started, and by the start of September 1991 the Croatian government had lost control of nearly a third of the country. Its forces were poorly armed and, without access to heavy weapons, were unable to put up effective opposition to its better-armed opponents. The JNA, as the national army of Yugoslavia, was still deployed throughout Croatia and was seen as a major threat to the republic's secession from the Yugoslav federation. It was, however, already seen to be openly acting in support of the Serb rebellion in the Croatian Krajina and by mid-1991 most Croatians regarded it as a hostile force. is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The Croatian Krajina is a territory formed in the 16th century on the border of the Habsburg Empire and the Ottoman Empire, part of the Military Frontier. ...

In order to eliminate the threat of the JNA's garrisons and remedy its own lack of heavy weapons, on 14 September 1991 the Croatian government launched an attack on JNA garrisons and arms depots throughout government-held territory – an offensive dubbed the "Battle of the Barracks". They had already been effectively besieged for a couple of months but the Croatian forces had not, up to that point, attempted to capture them. The outcome of the offensive was mixed; some depots were successfully captured, while others were destroyed or evacuated after negotiations. Nonetheless, it enabled the Croatian forces to obtain a large number of heavy weapons, it eliminated a strategic threat to the Croatian rear and it significantly weakened the strength of the JNA.^[6] For people named Garrison, see Garrison (disambiguation) Garrison House, built by William Damm in 1675 at Dover, New Hampshire Garrison (from the French garnison, itself from the verb garnir, to equip) is the collective term for the body of troops stationed in a particular location, originally to guard it, but... is the 257th day of the year (258th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ... Offensive may relate to In sports or combat, the team which is attacking, pitching or moving forwards In language or morals, terms and concepts which are unacceptable to some people, such as swearing and profanity. ... Combatants Croatian Army (HV) Yugoslav Army (JNA) Commanders Anton Tus (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1991-1992) Various local commanders Veljko Kadijević (Chief of Staff of Yugoslav Peoples Army) Various local commanders Strength  ?  ? Casualties At least 15 dead  ? At least: 250 tanks, 180 Armoured personnel carriers, 100 Self...

Vukovar's JNA barracks, in the southern suburb of Sajmište, was one of those attacked on 14 September. The local Croatian forces were, however, unable to capture it and, in retaliation, the Chetniks (Serbian paramilitaries) launched a major attack on the southwest of Vukovar from the direction of Negoslavci. 2,000 residents fled, reporting scores of civilian deaths and mass killings.^[4] It has been suggested that Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland be merged into this article or section. ... Negoslavci is a village and a municipality in Vukovar-Syrmia County, Croatia. ...

Map of military operations in eastern Slavonia, September 1991 - January 1992

In response to the "battle of the barracks", the JNA activated its strategic offensive plan. The main element of this was the drive on Eastern Slavonia. The JNA's objectives in the first stage of the battle were to take the Serb-inhabited areas of Eastern Slavonia plus Vukovar, then to progress west via Vinkovci and Osijek to Zagreb. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1214x900, 312 KB)Military operations in eastern Slavonia, September 1991 - January 1992 From Balkan Battlegrounds, 2002 This image is a work of a Central Intelligence Agency employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1214x900, 312 KB)Military operations in eastern Slavonia, September 1991 - January 1992 From Balkan Battlegrounds, 2002 This image is a work of a Central Intelligence Agency employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... [[Image: Vinkovci (Croatia) |250px|none|]] Coordinates: Country  Croatia County Vukovar-Srijem Government  - Mayor Mladen Karlić (HDZ) Elevation 90 m (295. ... Osijek (pronounced: []) is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 114,616 in 2001. ...

On 19 September a huge column of JNA armor left Belgrade; foreign journalists reported that it stretched for nearly 10 km and included at least a hundred tanks, mostly T-55s and M-84s, as well as armored personnel carriers and numerous towed heavy artillery pieces. The force crossed the Croatian border on 20 September, near the Serbian town of Šid. Further support was provided by other JNA units, notably the 12th (Novi Sad) Corps, advancing from Serbia's Vojvodina province.^[4] is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The T-54 and T-55 tank series was the Soviet Unions front-line main battle tank from 1947 until 1962, and remains in service throughout the world to this day, especially by former client states of the Soviet Union. ... The M-84 is a modern, 3nd generation main battle tank manufactured by Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. ... is the 263rd day of the year (264th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Å id (Шид) is a town and municipality in Srem District of Vojvodina, Serbia. ... Vojvodina (red) is one of Serbias two autonomous provinces Capital (and largest city) Novi Sad Official languages Ethnic groups  2. ...

Few problems were experienced in the early days of the campaign, and the JNA took the time to expel non-Serbs from mixed communities en route, such as at Ilok.^[7] Pockets of Croatian defenders outside Vukovar were quickly routed and fell back to Vukovar. The JNA's 1st Guards Mechanised Division quickly reached the town's barracks and lifted the Croatian siege of the facility. They also moved to encircle Vukovar. By 30 September the town was almost completely surrounded; all roads in and out of the town were blocked and the only route in was via a track through a perilously exposed cornfield.^[8][6] iLok SmartKey The iLok or InterLok is a copy protection method developed and manufactured by PACE Anti-Piracy of San Jose, California utilizing a USB hardware key or Dongle, and an online registration system at www. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

During the period of 14th to 20th September, JNA launched some of the largest tank and infantry attacks at the city. One of the major attacks in this period was started on September 18th from the north on Trpinjska cesta; launched by the JNA's 51st Mechanized Brigade's one Mechanized Battalion of about 30 tanks and 30 APCs. These fell into an ambush, and were almost wiped out. As a result, an area where the fighting occurred was nicknamed Tank graveyard.^[9] In total, about one hundred armoured vehicles were destroyed there, 15 of which were destroyed by Colonel Marko Babić.^[10] Mechanized military units are otherwise slow-moving or immobile military units that have had trucks or other ground transport systems added to their formation to add to or improve their mobility. ... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols This article is about the military unit. ... For other uses, see Colonel (disambiguation). ... Marko Babić (1965 - 2007) was a Croatian army officer (Colonel at time of death) that served during the Croatian War of Independence. ...

Vukovar was cut off for a time after the village of Marinci, straddling the route out of the city, was captured on 1 October. Shortly afterwards, Vukovar's deputy commander Mile Dedaković - Jastreb broke out through the Serbian lines to reach Vinkovci. His place was taken by his deputy Branko Borković (known as "Mladi Jastreb", or Young Hawk). A Croatian counter-offensive was mounted in the second week of October in an effort to break the siege and succeeded in retaking Marinci. However, the counter-offensive was called off by Croatian President Franjo Tuđman, apparently at the urging of European Economic Community negotiators attempting to obtain a ceasefire. The pause enabled the JNA's 252nd Armoured Brigade to retake Marinci on 14 October and consolidate the captured territory^[11]. Vukovar was now fully besieged. is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... [[Image: Vinkovci (Croatia) |250px|none|]] Coordinates: Country  Croatia County Vukovar-Srijem Government  - Mayor Mladen Karlić (HDZ) Elevation 90 m (295. ... An attack made in responce to a previouse offensive. ... The European Community (EC), most important of three European Communities, was originally founded on March 25, 1957 by the signing of the Treaty of Rome under the name of European Economic Community. ... A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war or any armed conflict, where each side of the conflict agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Opposing forces

Croatian forces

Vukovar was defended by a force of some 2,000 defenders drawn from local militias, the 204th brigade of the Croatian National Guard (ZNG) and Interior Ministry forces. Although the defenders were routinely castigated as extreme nationalist Ustaše by the Serbian media, they reflected Vukovar's ethnic mix. As many as a third of defenders were said to be non-Croats. They were relatively poorly armed with little heavy weaponry, though they gained some additional weapons following the capture of JNA barracks elsewhere in Croatia.^[11] Despite their small numbers and poor weaponry, they were far better motivated than their opponents, as [in some instances] their families were located in the town, and they would naturally fight with more vigor and emotion. They also benefited from the defensive advantages offered by urban terrain.^[3] An UstaÅ¡e guard pose among the bodies of prisoners murdered in the Jasenovac concentration camp The UstaÅ¡e (also known as Ustashas or Ustashi) was a Croatian extreme nationalist movement. ...

Dedaković and the defenders' Chief of Staff, Branko Borković, played a key role in devising defensive tactics that kept the JNA out of Vukovar for a prolonged period of time. They created a unified command structure that created a single brigade from a number of previously disparate elements. Their tactics centred on the creation of an integrated defence system that featured the mining of approach routes, roving anti-tank teams, snipers and heavily fortified defensive strongpoints. This combination was intended to slow down and dissipate JNA attacks to the point where counter-attacks could force a retreat. For other uses, see Sniper (disambiguation). ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ...

Yugoslav/Serb forces

The attacking force was a mixture of JNA soldiers, conscripts from the Serbian Territorial defence force (teritorialna obrana or TO), chetniks (Serbian nationalist paramilitaries) and local Serb militiamen. At its largest, it numbered about 36,000 troops.^[6] Although it was in theory far stronger than the Croatian forces and was much better equipped, it suffered from often low morale, poor leadership, and constant desertions, which reduced the strength and capability of many units. Many of the JNA soldiers were not Serbs in the first place, a large number being Bosniaks and Kosovo's ethnic Albanians. By this stage, the non-Serb members of the JNA were not particularly supportive of either Serbian nationalism or the nominal cause of Yugoslav unity. The non-Serb soldiers were distrusted by the Serb-dominated officer corps, and many deserted from a battle in which they felt that they had no stake of their own. Logo of the Territorial Defense Forces Territorial Defense Forces (Serbo-Croat: Teritorijalna odbrana, Croato-Serbian: Teritorijalna obrana, Slovenian: Teritorialna obramba, Macedonian: Територијална одбрана, abbreviation: TO) were part of the armed forces of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which roughly corresponded to a military reserve force, an official governmental paramilitary or... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses of Desertion, see Abandonment. ... Language(s) Bosnian Religion(s) Predominantly Islam Related ethnic groups Slavs (South Slavs) The Bosniaks or Bosniacs[1] (Bosnian: Bošnjaci, IPA: ) are a South Slavic people, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnia) and the Sandžak region of Serbia and Montenegro, with a smaller autochthonous population also present... For other uses, see Kosovo (disambiguation). ...

Low morale was a problem for the Serb members of the JNA as well, and desertions and protests were frequent among the largely conscripted force. The war was unpopular at home and the JNA experienced severe problems in mobilizing soldiers for the battle. The Army as a whole struggled to explain adequately what it was fighting for (it was only in October 1991 that its insignia was altered to replace the Communist red star with the Yugoslav tricolor flag, symbolising its shift from Communist to nationalist ideologies). This article is about communism as a form of society and as a political movement. ...

The attackers also suffered from a persistent lack of coordination between the various groups involved. Even within the JNA, there were problems in establishing a unified chain of command between the different corps and divisions on the battlefield. There were even greater problems in coordinating movements with the Serbian TO militias, Serbian paramilitary groups and the local Croatian Serb militias. The paramilitaries and militias were often poorly organised and undisciplined, often drunk, and soon gained a reputation for considerable brutality. Massive desertions and the casualties suffered by poor organization during the battle led to JNA recruiting people off the streets in Serbia and sending them to the battle zone, which only worsened their losses.

The battle: part II

From mid-October 1991 to the fall of the city in mid-November, Vukovar was entirely surrounded by JNA and Serbian forces. Its remaining inhabitants – who included several thousand Serbs – took refuge in communal bomb shelters which had been built during the Cold War as insurance against a Soviet invasion. A crisis committee was established, operating from a nuclear bunker underneath the municipal hospital. It organised the delivery of food, water and medical supplies, keeping to a minimum the number of civilians on the streets and ensuring that each bomb shelter was guarded and had at least one doctor and nurse assigned to it. For other uses, see Cold War (disambiguation). ... A bunker is a defensive warfare fortification to protect oneself. ...

The hospital was kept busy dealing with hundreds of wounded people; in the latter half of September, it had received between sixteen and eighty wounded each day, three quarters of them civilians. Despite the building being clearly marked with the Red Cross symbol it was shelled and bombed along with the rest of the city. On 4 October the Yugoslav Air Force attacked it, destroying its operating theater. One bomb fell through several floors, failed to explode and landed on the foot of a wounded man, who survived.^[4] The Anarchist Black Cross was originally called the Anarchist Red Cross. The band Redd Kross was originally called Red Cross. This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Despite the attacking forces' numerical superiority and far greater firepower, they were unable to dislodge the Croatian defenders. The JNA's attempts to storm the city were beaten back with heavy losses in manpower and equipment. Its largely conscript force had no training for urban combat and little desire to undertake such dangerous work. They were also ill-equipped for such work – the JNA, like other armies before it, found that its heavy armour was simply not suited for intense urban combat. MOUT/FIBUA simulated in US Army exercise Urban warfare is warfare conducted in populated urban areas such as towns and cities. ...

Unable to engage the defenders directly, the army instead resorted to intensive long-range artillery bombardments supported by occasional Yugoslav Air Force bombing raids. By the end of October, much of Vukovar had been reduced to ruins. Ironically, though, this actually worked to the defenders' advantage; as the Red Army had found at Stalingrad fifty years previously, a destroyed city offered far more defensive positions than an intact one. A bombardment is an attack by artillery fire directed against fortifications, troops or towns and buildings. ... For other organizations known as the Red Army, see Red Army (disambiguation). ... Stalingrad is the former name of two cities: Volgograd, Russia Karviná-Nové Město, near Ostrava, Czech Republic Other uses: The Battle of Stalingrad (a major turning-point of World War II and arguably the bloodiest battle in human history) Stalingrad (German film set during the above battle) Stalingrad...

The poor performance of the JNA had been an unwelcome surprise to the Army's high command in Belgrade, and at the start of October General Života Panić, the commander of the First Army District, was put in charge of the Vukovar operation. He was accompanied to the front lines by the JNA Chief of Staff, Blagoje Adžić. The two men were appalled by what they found - a situation which Panić himself described as "chaos". General Života Panić (Cyrillic: Живота Панић) (born November 3rd, 1933 in Gornja Crnisava, Yugoslavia died November 19th, 2003 in Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro) was the last acting minister of defence amd army chief of staff in the Yugoslav government. ... A front line is a line of confrontation in an armed conflict, most often a war. ... Blagoje Adžić From left: Veljko Kadijević and Blagoje Adžić. General Blagoje Adžić (Cyrillic: Благоје Аджић) (born September 2nd, 1932 in Pridvorica, Yugoslavia) was the acting minister of defence in the Yugoslav government. ...

Panić swiftly made major changes, integrating the paramilitaries into the JNA command structure and putting in place a single chain of command with himself at the apex. Poorly motivated conscripts were replaced with nationalist Serb volunteers wherever possible.^[4] The Serbian Ministry of the Interior played a crucial role in facilitating this, organising volunteers from Serbian nationalist parties and clubs and sending them to Eastern Slavonia. Although relatively untrained, they made up for this with an often xenophobic dedication to the cause.^[6]

The battle: part III

Map of the final phase of the Battle of Vukovar

In desperate attempt to end this battle, in late October 1991. general Panić identified the JNA's key weakness as being its inability to carry out a coordinated assault with well-motivated and equipped troops. The Croatian defenders had previously been able to defeat the JNA's disjointed, single-sector attacks but did not have the numbers to defeat a coordinated attack on multiple sectors. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1165x792, 296 KB)Map of the Battle of Vukovar, September 1991 - November 1991 From Balkan Battlegrounds, 2002 This image is a work of a Central Intelligence Agency employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1165x792, 296 KB)Map of the Battle of Vukovar, September 1991 - November 1991 From Balkan Battlegrounds, 2002 This image is a work of a Central Intelligence Agency employee, taken or made during the course of an employees official duties. ...

On 30 October, the JNA launched just such an attack with well-trained infantry and engineering troops systematically forcing their way through the Croatian defences, supported rather than led by armour. Paramilitary forces were used to spearhead the assaults. The JNA forces, divided into a northern and southern operation sector, attacked multiple points simultaneously; as predicted, the defenders were unable to repulse such an attack. On 3 November JNA troops launched a successful amphibious assault across the Danube to meet up with the Serbian paramilitary "Tigers", led by the notorious warlord Željko Ražnatović ("Arkan"). This split the Vukovar perimeter in half, isolating a pocket of Croatian defenders in the suburb of Borovo Naselje. Even so, the pocket held out until 16 November. is the 303rd day of the year (304th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I Infantry or footmen are very highly disciplined and trained soldiers who fight primarily with small arms(rifles), but are trained to use everything from their bare hands to missle systems in order to neutralize... is the 307th day of the year (308th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The word amphibious or amphibian, when used alone, has several possible meanings in the English language. ... A warlord is a person with power who has de facto military control of a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. ... Željko Ražnatović (Serbian: Жељко Ражнатовић), widely known as Arkan (Аркан), (April 17, 1952 - January 15, 2000), was a Serbian paramilitary leader accused on numerous accounts of war crimes committed during Yugoslav Wars in the 1990s. ... is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further south, the JNA's "Operational Group South" systematically cleared the town centre, isolating the remaining defenders. A key hilltop was captured on 9 November, giving the attackers a clear view of the town. The assault was largely led by paramilitary troops, with JNA and TO soldiers providing support, especially in demining operations and close artillery support. By 15 November the defenders had been reduced to isolated pockets, and on 18 November they surrendered.^[6] is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Political aspects

International reaction

Throughout the siege, the international community attempted unsuccessfully to bring the fighting to an end. European Community negotiators repeatedly sought to arrange ceasefires, but neither side observed them; some broke down within hours. By September, some EC members were calling for military intervention by the Western European Union but this was vetoed by the United Kingdom. Instead, a peace conference was convened at The Hague, Netherlands, under the chairmanship of Lord Carrington.  â€¢  â€¢  â€¢ Membership 10 member states 6 associate member states 5 observer countries 7 associate partner countries Establishment Treaty of Brussels  -  Signed 17 March 1948  The Western European Union (WEU) is a partially dormant European defence and security organization, established on the basis of the Treaty of Brussels of 1948 with the... Coordinates: , Country Netherlands Province South Holland Area (2006)  - Municipality 98. ... Lord Carrington wearing his robes as a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter, in procession to St Georges Chapel, Windsor Castle for the annual service of the Order of the Garter. ...

Parallel efforts were undertaken by the United Nations, which imposed an arms embargo on all of the Yugoslav republics in September 1991^[12] For the most part, however, neither the UN nor the EC was able to achieve much beyond issuing plaintive statements asking the combatants to stop fighting. The closest either came to actually condemning one or other of the two sides was in a statement issued by the EC on 12 November 1991, in which it condemned the escalation of attacks on Croatian towns by the JNA and Serbian forces. UN and U.N. redirect here. ... This article is about the United Nations, for other uses of UN see UN (disambiguation) Official languages English, French, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Arabic Secretary-General Kofi Annan (since 1997) Established October 24, 1945 Member states 191 Headquarters New York City, NY, USA Official site http://www. ... is the 316th day of the year (317th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the 1991 Gregorian calendar). ...

In terms of international media coverage, there is little doubt that the Serbs the villains of the battle. There was no international media presence in Vukovar itself (unlike in the sieges of Sarajevo and Dubrovnik) and relatively little of the fighting at Vukovar was broadcast to foreign audiences. Western media coverage was dominated by the simultaneous Battle of Dubrovnik. The British journalist Misha Glenny, who reported from behind both sides' front lines, comments that the JNA and especially the Serbian paramilitaries in eastern Slavonia were often extremely hostile to the foreign media, in marked contrast with the relatively open Croatians, who took every opportunity to portray their cause as a struggle against oppression.^[13] Map of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Sarajevo) Coordinates: , Country Entity Canton Sarajevo Canton Government  - Mayor Semiha Borovac (SDA) Area [1]  - City 141. ... Nickname: 1995 map of Dubrovnik The location of Dubrovnik within Croatia Coordinates: , Country County Government  - Mayor Dubravka Å uica (HDZ) Area  - City 143. ... Combatants Yugoslav Army (JNA) Montenegro Territorial Defence Forces Croatian Army (HV) Croatian Defence Forces (HOS) Commanders Veljko Kadijević (Chief of Staff of Yugoslav Peoples Army) Anton Tus (Chief of Staff of Croatian Army 1991-1992) Janko Bobetko (from 1992) Strength Between 7,500 and 20,000 men [1] Less... Misha Glenny (born 1958) is a British journalist and specialist on Eastern and Southeastern Europe. ...

Croatian reaction

Reactions to the battle in Croatia and the rump Yugoslavia varied considerably. Croatians saw the battle for Vukovar as a life-or-death struggle for the survival of their nation, which they compared to the Soviet Union's decisive Battle of Stalingrad. The aftermath of the battle was marked by controversy over the Croatian government's apparent lack of resolve in dealing with the battle. Two half-hearted relief operations were mounted in October and November but failed to gain any ground. Dedaković and Borković both survived the battle and spoke out publicly against the government's actions. In an apparent attempt to silence them, both men were briefly detained by Croatian military police. Combatants Germany Romania Italy Hungary Soviet Union Commanders Adolf Hitler Friedrich Paulus # Erich von Manstein Hermann Hoth Petre Dumitrescu Constantin Constantinescu Italo Garibaldi Gusztav Jany Vasiliy Chuikov Aleksandr Vasilyevskiy Georgiy Zhukov Semyon Timoshenko Konstantin Rokossovskiy Rodion Malinovskiy Andrei Yeremenko Strength Army Group B: German Sixth Army # German Fourth Panzer Army...

From a strictly military point of view, however, there was little to be gained from a Croatian counter-offensive. The battle of Vukovar had broken the back of the JNA offensive. The town itself was strategically expendable and was, in any case, probably indefensible. It was virtually surrounded by Serb-held settlements and overlooked Serbia itself, from where it could be (and was) bombarded and assaulted. Although the Croatian government undoubtedly felt the sting of defeat at Vukovar, in a strategic context the damage and delays inflicted on the JNA more than made up for the loss of the town.^[6]

Serbian reaction

The high number of casualties incurred in the battle caused serious popular discontent in Serbia and Montenegro, where tens of thousands of those receiving draft papers went into hiding or left the country. A near-mutiny broke out in some reservist units, and mass demonstrations against the war were held in the Serbian towns of Valjevo, Čačak and Kragujevac. In one famous incident, a tank driver named Vladimir Zivković drove his tank all the way from the front line at Vukovar to the federal parliament in Belgrade. Many Serbs simply did not identify with the Croatian Serb cause and were unwilling to see their lives, or those of their children, sacrificed at Vukovar.^[14] Although the great majority of JNA casualties were Serbian, Serbia itself was never formally at war. This article is about the country in Europe. ... “Conscript” redirects here. ... Mutiny is the act of conspiring to disobey an order that a group of similarly-situated individuals (typically members of the military; or the crew of any ship, even if they are civilians) are legally obliged to obey. ... A member of the United States Military that spends one weekend a month and two weeks annually training to protect and defend the United States. ... A man holds up a street puppet designed to resemble George W. Bush at a demonstration against the World Bank and International Monetary Fund on April 16, 2005 in Washington, D.C.. American Civil Rights March on Washington, leaders marching from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, August 28... Valjevo postcard Valjevo (Serbian Cyrillic: Ваљево) is a city located in Serbia and Montenegro at 44. ... ÄŒačak (Serbian Cyrillic: Чачак) is a city located 140 km south from Belgrade in Serbia at 43°50 North, 20°20 East. ... Location of Kragujevac within Serbia Coordinates: Country Serbia District Å umadija Municipalities 5 Founded 1476 Government  - Mayor Veroljub Stevanović (SDPO)  - Ruling parties SDPO Area  - City 835 km²  (322. ... The House of Representatives Chamber of the Parliament of Australia in Canberra. ...

In a sign of the popular distaste for the battle, the JNA's attempts to draft further troops for a deeper attack into Croatia failed dismally. Only 13% of those eligible for the draft actually reported for duty, and by the end of 1991 6,000 cases against deserters and draft-dodgers were pending in Belgrade's military court alone.^[15] The failure of the draft meant that large elements of the JNA's planned offensive into Croatia had to be abandoned for simple lack of manpower. However despite this failure, the Novi Sad city authorities led by the Serbian Radical Party decided in 2007 to rename a few of the city streets after men who participated in the Battle of Vukovar. The opposition councilors left the assembly’s session in protest, however the assembly still decided to support the renaming^[16]. A draft dodger, draft evader or draft resister, is a person who avoids (dodges) or otherwise violates the conscription policies of the nation in which he or she is a citizen or resident, by leaving the country, going into hiding, attempting to fraudulently obtain conscientious objector status, or by open... What constitutes a military tribunal varies according to nation and sometimes even military branch and regional jurisdiction. ... For other uses, see Novi Sad (disambiguation). ... The Serbian Radical Party (Serbian: Српска радикална странка or Srpska radikalna stranka, SRS) is a nationalist far-right political party in Serbia. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ...

Other Yugoslav reaction

In Bosnia, from where many JNA soldiers had been conscripted, President Alija Izetbegović appealed to citizens to resist the draft on the grounds that "this is not our war". This article is about the country of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ... Alija Izetbegović (August 8, 1925 – October 19, 2003) was a Bosniak activist, lawyer, author, philosopher and politician, who, in 1990, became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...

JNA conscript soldiers from the Republic of Macedonia participated in the battle, but apparently without much enthusiasm. Macedonia had just declared its independence from SFR Yugoslavia during the battle (on 08.09.1991.), and many conscripts from Macedonia were still held in JNA by the commanding officers, most of which were Serbs. In 2005, Macedonian Chief of Staff General Miroslav Stojanovski became the focus of international controversy after it was alleged that he had been involved in possible war crimes following the battle.^[17] For an explanation of terms related to Macedonia, see Macedonia (terminology). ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Aftermath

The aftermath of the battle was dominated by two principal issues: the JNA's ongoing campaign in Croatia and the fate of the non-Serbs left in Vukovar when the town fell.

The end of the campaign

The three-month siege tied down some of the best units the Yugoslav Army had, including 2 tank and 6 mechanized brigades in the wider area - substantial part of the Army's tank assault force - which eased the pressure on other fronts in Croatia. This three-month pause, during which the JNA was concentrating on defeating just one Croatian infantry brigade, enabled Croatia to complete the mobilization started in October. As a result: when the battle of Vukovar begun, Croatian Army had less than 20 infantry brigades, which rose to about 60 when it was over.

The JNA's General Panić was determined to carry forward the JNA's long-delayed advance into Croatia following the fall of Vukovar. After the battle had ended he moved most of his forces forward toward Osijek, the JNA's next strategic target. Vukovar itself was largely left in the hands of paramilitaries. Osijek was, however, a far tougher target than Vukovar. It was a much bigger city, with three times Vukovar's population; it was much better defended; it had better lines of communication with the rest of Croatia than Vukovar had enjoyed; and the JNA itself was a depleted force in the aftermath of the battle of Vukovar. Furthermore, Croatian forces were now better equipped than they had been at the start of the offensive, thanks to the capture of JNA supplies from former federal depots.

Osijek was subjected to intensive shelling in preparation for a planned assault but at this point, Serbia's Slobodan Milošević intervened. The JNA had by now captured most of the Serb-inhabited regions of Croatia and Milošević had little interest in taking predominantly Croatian-inhabited territory, much less in Panić's goal of toppling the Zagreb government and putting Croatia under military occupation. Moreover, the ongoing war was causing serious political difficulties in Serbia. After Milošević compelled the JNA high command to order Panić to end his operations, ceasefire talks between Serbia and Croatia were opened under the mediation of UN envoy Cyrus Vance. In January 1992, an armistice was agreed, temporarily ending the fighting in Croatia.^[6] Belligerent military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory belonging to a state passes to a hostile army. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A white flag is traditionally used to represent a truce. ...

Captives and war crimes

The fate of those captured at Vukovar – both military and civilians – was grim. Many appear to have been summarily executed by Serbian paramilitaries; journalists visiting the town immediately after its fall reported seeing the streets strewn with bodies in civilian clothes. BBC television reporters recorded Serbian paramilitaries chanting: For other uses, see BBC (disambiguation). ...

The defenders of the northern pocket of Borovo Naselje were unable to escape and most are reported to have been killed.^[11] Many of the defenders of Vukovar proper were also killed although some, including the commanders, successfully broke through JNA lines and escaped to government-held territory. Of the non-Serb civilian survivors, most were expelled to government-held territory but around 800 of the men of fighting age (civilians and captured soldiers alike) as well as many other civilians were imprisoned in Serbian prisons. Majority from Vukovar ended up in the Sremska Mitrovica camp. Although most were eventually freed in prisoner exchanges, some reportedly died after being tortured. Sremska Mitrovica prison camp (also called Sremska Mitrovica concentration camp by survivors), were two facilities in Sremska Mitrovica, Vojvodina (Serbia, former SFRJ, then FRY) where non-Serb (mostly Croatian) prisoners of war and civilians were kept by Serbian authorities. ...

Many of the Croatians in the Vukovar hospital (around 260 people plus several medical personnel) were taken by JNA and Serb paramilitary forces to the nearby field of Ovčara and executed there (Vukovar massacre). Three JNA officers, Mile Mrkšić, Veselin Šljivančanin and Miroslav Radić were indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) on multiple counts of crimes against humanity and violations of the laws of war.^[1] The three indictees were either captured or handed themselves in during 2002 and 2003 and stood trial in October 2005. On 27 September 2007, Mrkšić was sentenced by the ICTY to 20 years' imprisonment for murder and torture, Šljivančanin was sentenced to five years' jail on charges of torture, but was acquitted on charges of extermination, and Radić was acquitted.^[18] Slavko Dokmanović was also indicted and arrested for his role in the massacre, but committed suicide in 1998 days before judgement was to be announced. Ovčara memorial The Vukovar massacre was an incident that took place between November 18 and November 21, 1991 near the city of Vukovar, a mixed Croat/Serb community in northeastern Croatia. ... Ovčara massacre memorial The Vukovar massacre was a war crime that took place between November 18 and November 21, 1991 near the city of Vukovar, a mixed Croat/Serb community in northeastern Croatia. ... We dont have an article called Mile MrkÅ¡ić Start this article Search for Mile MrkÅ¡ić in. ... Veselin Å ljivančanin in 1992 Veselin Å ljivančanin (born June 13, 1953 in Pavez, the municipality of Žabljak, Montenegro, Yugoslavia) is a former officer of the Yugoslav Peoples Army (JNA). ... The Tribunal building in The Hague. ... This article is in need of attention. ... The two parts of the laws of war (or Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC)): Law concerning acceptable practices while engaged in war, like the Geneva Conventions, is called jus in bello; while law concerning allowable justifications for armed force is called jus ad bellum. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

The Serbian chetniks (paramilitary) leader Vojislav Šešelj has been indicted on a variety of war crimes charges including several counts of extermination in relation to the Vukovar hospital massacre, in which his "White Eagles" were allegedly involved.^[19] In addition, Croatia has tried a number of Serbs for war crimes committed at Vukovar – although most of the original indictees either died before they could be tried, or had to be tried in absentia^[20] – and in December 2005 a Serbian court convicted fourteen former paramilitaries for their involvement in the hospital massacre.^[21] Extermination is the act of killing with the intention of eradicating demographics within a population. ...

Although the initial attack on Vukovar has not been the subject of war crimes charges, the ICTY's indictment of Slobodan Milošević characterised the overall JNA/Serb offensive in Croatia – including the fighting in Eastern Slavonia – as a "joint criminal enterprise" to remove non-Serb populations from Serb-inhabited areas of Croatia. Milošević was also charged with responsibility for exterminations, deportations and destruction of property conducted in Vukovar, as well as involvement in the hospital massacre.^[22]

The hospital massacre is now the subject of a major international feature film currently in development. [1] On 3 August 2007, Croatian media reported that Oscar nominee Toni Collette, is set to be offered the role of Dr. Vesna Bosanac in the up and coming feature. To this day, Dr. Bosanac remains the director of Vukovar Hospital. [2]

Casualties

Croatian

By the end of 1991, the official figures issued in Croatia showed that approximately 3,210 Croats were killed and 17,393 people injured during the conflict. Most of the casualties resulted from the siege of Vukovar^[23]. The exact numbers of casualties at Vukovar is still unknown. According to official Croatian figures, published by Croatian Ministry of Defence in 2006, Croatia lost 921 soldiers killed and 770 wounded in Vukovar only.

According to Croatian general Anton Tus, about 1,100 of Vukovar's defenders were killed, 2,600 defenders and civilians were listed as missing, and another 1,000 Croatian soldiers were killed on the approaches to Vinkovci and Osijek. He noted that the intensity of the fighting can be judged by the fact that the losses in Eastern Slavonia between September-November 1991 constituted half of all Croatian war casualties during the whole of 1991.^[11]

In his book "Croatian history", published 2004, Croatian historian Ivo Goldstein wrote that Croatian military losses in the Battle of Vukovar were 2,500 military dead (including forces which helped defence of Vukovar outside the town).

The CIA estimates Croatian casualties at around 4,000-5,000 dead across Eastern Slavonia.^[6] “CIA” redirects here. ...

Yugoslav

Estimates of JNA losses are complicated by a lack of official figures. Former commander of the Novi Sad Corps, pensioned general Andrija Biorcevic, could not remember how many people he lost, but he said that he believed that it was not more than 1,500 killed. Biorcevic explained that during the siege of Vukovar, "most of the combat activities took place from a distance and from well entrenched positions"^[24]. Trench warfare is a form of war in which both opposing armies have static lines of defense. ...

The only exact figures of Serbian losses in the Battle of Vukovar published by their side (published by Miroslav Lazanski, an unofficial spokesman of the JNA and well known military commentator from Belgrade) were 1,103 soldiers and volunteers killed, 2,500 wounded, 110 tanks and APCs destroyed and 2 planes shot down, while another fell because of malfunction. Miroslav Lazanski is leading politico-military commentator of the Belgrade daily Politika. ... A malfunction is a partial or total failure of a parachuting device to operate as intended. ...

In 1997 Tus himself estimated enemy losses in the three months of war to be in the order of 10,000 dead, 600 armoured vehicles, and 23 aircraft^[24] (modern Serbian sources, however, say only about 6,000 Serbs and Yugoslavs were killed or disappeared in the four years of war, including some civilians). During this period, said Tus, the Croats lost only 1,850 fighters (since then, he gave a higher estimates of Croatian losses).

References

B92 (Б92) is a radio and television station in Belgrade, Serbia. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st century. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• The Trinity of Vukovar (A new feature film based on the siege of Vukovar)
• Vukovar – Final Cut (2006 Croat-Serb documentary film)
• Vukovar massacre

Ovčara massacre memorial The Vukovar massacre was a war crime that took place between November 18 and November 21, 1991 near the city of Vukovar, a mixed Croat/Serb community in northeastern Croatia. ...

External links

• HRT film footage of the 1991 siege and bombardment of Vukovar
• Vukovar, hrvatski grad heroj - istinita priča; Vukovar, heroic city in Croatia - the true story