Siege of Dubrovnik (Croatian: Opsada Dubrovnika) is a term marking the battle and siege of the city of Dubrovnik and the surrounding area in Croatia as part of the Croatian War of Independence. Combatants Croatian Army Paramilitary organisations Republic of Serb Krajina Army Yugoslav Peoples Army 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) Milan Martić (President of Republic of Serb... 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 Yugoslav Peoples Army, Serbian paramilitaries Croatian National Guard, Croatian police and militias Commanders Mladen Bratić Života Panić Blago Zadro Mile Dedaković Branko Borković Strength Up to 36,000, depending on the phase of the battle 2,000 Casualties Unofficial Serbian figures: 1,103 dead ~2,500 wounded 110... 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... 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. ... 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... 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. ... 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 protection force UNPROFOR. There were 40 members of the Serbian Territorial Defense killed, several wounded and imprisoned and the only Serbian village in this area... Operation Maslenica is an offensive Croatian Army conducted in Northwestern Dalmatia against Krajina forces in early 1993. ... Combatants Croatia Republic of Serbian Krajina Commanders Janko Bobetko, Petar Stipetić Mile Novaković Strength Over 2,500 soldiers, T-72 tanks, Large numbers of artillery  ? Casualties 10 Croats killed, 17 wounded 38 Serbs killed, 50+ wounded Operation Medak Pocket (Croatian: Medački džep) was a military operation undertaken by... 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... Combatants Croatia Republic of Serbian Krajina Commanders general Zvonimir ÄŒervenko general Mile MrkÅ¡ić Strength 150,000 soldiers, 350 tanks, 800 artillery pieces, 50 rocket launchers, 30 aircraft and helicopters 40,000 soldiers, 200 tanks, 350 artillery pieces, 25 rocket launchers, 20 aircraft and helicopters Casualties 174 soldiers killed, 1... County Dubrovnik–Neretva Area 143. ... Combatants Croatian Army Paramilitary organisations Republic of Serb Krajina Army Yugoslav Peoples Army 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) Milan Martić (President of Republic of Serb...

It was besieged and attacked by JNA and Montenegro forces in late 1991, with the major fighting ending in early 1992 and the Croatian counterattack finally lifting the siege and liberating the area in mid-1992. The Yugoslav Peoples Army (Jugoslavenska/Jugoslovenska narodna armija, JNA, Slovene Jugoslovanska ljudska armada, JLA) was the army of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia prior to its dissolution. ... Anthem: Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, the bright dawn of May Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 (local also Albanian) Government Republic  - President Filip Vujanović  - Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence from Serbia and Montenegro   - Declared June 3, 2006   - Recognised June 8, 2006  Area  - Total 13. ...

Preface

Dubrovnik is an old city located in the southernmost part of Dalmatia. It is a well-known tourist destination (a UNESCO World Heritage site), and was therefore demilitarized during the Communist Yugoslavia because it was considered that military presence does not go hand to hand with tourism. Because of this, when Croatia voted for independance in 1991, it was one of the few cities in Croatia not to have JNA military barracks present, which spared it during the September's Battle of the barracks and limited forces involved. County Dubrovnik–Neretva Area 143. ... Map of Dalmatia, in present day Croatia highlighted Dalmatia (Croatian: Dalmacija, French: Dalmatie, German: Dalmatien, Italian: Dalmazia, Serbian Cyrillic: Далмација, Turkish: Dalmaçya, Hungarian: Dalmácia) is a region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea, in modern Croatia, spreading between the island of Rab in the northwest and the... A tourist destination is a city, town or other area the economy of which is dependent to a significant extent on the revenues accruing from tourism. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Yugoslavia (Jugoslavija in Latin, Југославија in Cyrillic, English: Land of the South Slavs) describes four political entities that existed one at a time on the Balkan Peninsula in Europe, during most of the 20th century. ... 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...

The geographical position of the city was somewhat problematic. With the land borders between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and Montenegro (in 1991, both still part of Yugoslavia), Dubrovnik and the surrounding area found itself isolated. The southernmost part of Croatia is separated by the BiH's sea corridor at Neum. Anthem: Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, the bright dawn of May Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 (local also Albanian) Government Republic  - President Filip Vujanović  - Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence from Serbia and Montenegro   - Declared June 3, 2006   - Recognised June 8, 2006  Area  - Total 13. ... Shield of Neum Neum is the only seaside town in Bosnia and Herzegovina. ...

Position of Dubrovnik within Croatia

This meant that, in the case of JNA attack from the neighbouring republics, Croatia's assistance would be limited to what can be transported to the area by sea. Furthermore, the area around the city itself is very mountainous and unsuitable for military operations; creating a significant supply problem which was to limit the amount of forces involved. Position of Dubrovnik within Croatia File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

The siege

Opposing forces

Croat forces in the area were outnumbered and outgunned with next to no heavy equipment. They included just one locally conscripted unit - the 163rd Infantry Brigade, which - along with local police forces and volunteers - numbered up to 2,000 men, but had no tanks or heavy guns. 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. ...

These were pitted against several brigades of the JNA and Montenegro Territorial Defence Force of between 7,500 and 20,000 men, with tanks and artillery elements of the Naval District Corps and assorted other Corps formations of south Bosnia and Montenegro. The attack at the time was portrayed as an entirely Montenegrian affair (despite mixed nationality of JNA troops and Serb guidance, Montenegrians made the majority of troops) and was therefore presented in Montenegro as "War for Peace" with claims of "30,000 armed Ustashas and 7,000 terrorists, including Kurdish mercenaries readying to attack Montenegro at any moment" ^[5].

Initial attacks

By October 1991, War has already started throughout Croatia. On 1 October 1991, JNA forces from Montenegro (swelled by mobilization called on 16 September in Montenegro) and south BiH advanced to attack the surrounding area and occupied Prevlaka, Konavle, Cavtat and the entire area around Dubrovnik, including the important international airport. The airport was looted of valuable equipment which was taken to Montenegro - after independance in 2006, Montenegro has agreed to pay reparations for this, as well as return stolen art works, also taken from areas around Dubrovnik. The Prevlaka Peninsula is a small peninsula at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. ... Konavle is a small region in the southernmost part of Croatia, a field located between the Sniježnica mountain and the Adriatic Sea, southeast of Dubrovnik on the way to Boka Kotorska in Montenegro. ... Cavtat (Italian: ) is a town in the Dubrovnik-Neretva County of Croatia. ...

Combination of stiff resistance, rugged terrain and international attention blocked JNA's total attack and occupation of the city and they occupied high terrain around the city instead, placing artillery there to shell the city - thus the siege was started. At the same time, Yugoslav Navy was actively invovled in the bombardment, maintaining sea blockade and shelling the city from the Adriatic Sea. Food, water and electricity supply to the city was cut at the very begining of the siege. In 1990 the Yugoslav navy had 10,000 sailors (4,400 conscripts), including 2,300 in twenty-five coastal artillery batteries and 900 marines in one light naval infantry brigade. ... A satellite image of the Adriatic Sea. ...

Siege

Old city of Dubrovnik in 1989.

The siege had immediately raised attention, as western reporters took pictures of the shelling (especially the Old City of Dubrovnik - a UNESCO World Heritage Site) - which drew international criticism of the JNA forces. The siege was heavily present in the international media, which pushed the pivotal and much more brutal Battle of Vukovar into second plan. Even before the siege, international Community attempted several treaties to limit JNA advances into overwhelmingly Croat areas, but these were broken by JNA without regard ^[6]. taken by Luna04 in 1989 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... taken by Luna04 in 1989 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Combatants Yugoslav Peoples Army, Serbian paramilitaries Croatian National Guard, Croatian police and militias Commanders Mladen Bratić Života Panić Blago Zadro Mile Dedaković Branko Borković Strength Up to 36,000, depending on the phase of the battle 2,000 Casualties Unofficial Serbian figures: 1,103 dead ~2,500 wounded 110...

International reactions did nothing to quell the brutal bombardment, however, and the shelling continued to the end of the year. Croatian Navy and coastal artillery had successfully repelled JNA Navy forces along Dalmatia, and the Navy withdrew to Montenegro naval base of Boka Kotorska, but the situation on the ground was still unfavorable. Towards the end of the year, Croatian defenders managed a small counterattack that was aimed at displacing the JNA from the surrounding mountains, but this did not end the shelling entirely. 19th century coastal artillery guns preserved in Suomenlinna fortress in Helsinki Coastal artillery is the branch of armed forces concerned with operating mobile anti-ship artillery or fixed gun batteries in coastal fortifications. ... Historic mpap of the Bay, 16th century Boka Kotorska (Bay of Kotor, Bocche di Cattaro) in western Montenegro is a winding bay on the Adriatic sea. ...

Noted poet Milan Milišić became the first casualty of the shelling on October 5th. On 6 December 1991, the heaviest shelling was reported on what came to be known as the St. Nicholas day bombardment, during which 19 civilians were killed and 60 wounded^[7]. Milan MiliÅ¡ić (1941 – October 5, 1991) was a Yugoslavian poet and playwright. ...

The last ceasefire went into effect at the end of the year and the shelling ended by 1992.

Final operations

As part of the ceasefire agreement, JNA left Croatia and moved to Bosnia and Herzegovina where the Bosnian War was to start in April. Since many of the units involved in attacks on Dubrovnik where originally from Corps formations in Bosnia, these were now returned to their home commands as JNA forces in planned a general offensive on the nearby BiH city of Mostar and many troops were withdrawn from the area around Dubrovnik. Combatants Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Predominantly Bosniak) Army of Republika Srpska, Yugoslav Peoples Army, various paramilitary units from Serbia and Montenegro (Serbian) Croatian Defence Council, Croatian Army (Croatian) Commanders Alija Izetbegović (President of Bosnia and Herzegovina) Sefer Halilović (Army chief of staff 1992-1993) Rasim... Mostar (Мостар) is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. ...

The units left behind had now been weakened and limited to reserve troops and Croatia took advantage of the situation by redeploying elements of elite guard brigades (1st, 2nd and 4th) to the area, forming a command HQ under Janko Bobetko in April and starting a successful offensive which broke the blockade on 26 May 1992. After that, Operation Čagalj and Operation Tigar were launched to push the remaining forces away from the city and liberate the entire surrounding area, which was achieved by the end of July. The important Prevlaka area was also taken - which effectively meant a blockade of JNA Navy in Boka - but was recaptured by Montenegro forces. Following this, both sides agreed for a United Nations supervision of the area and the war for Dubrovnik ended. Janko Bobetko (1919 - 2003) was a Croatian army general and the Croatian armys Chief of the General Staff between 1992 and 1995. ... The Prevlaka Peninsula is a small peninsula at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor. ... The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

Aftermath

The city and the area recovered remarkably from the war, and the city is now again a favorite tourist destination. Prevlaka has been returned from UN supervision to Croatian control and the newly independant Montenegro has expressed wish for improving relations with Croatia and has promised making war reparations and solving open border questions a priority. Anthem: Oj, svijetla majska zoro Oh, the bright dawn of May Capital (and largest city) Podgorica Serbian (Ijekavian dialect)1 (local also Albanian) Government Republic  - President Filip Vujanović  - Prime Minister Željko Å turanović Independence from Serbia and Montenegro   - Declared June 3, 2006   - Recognised June 8, 2006  Area  - Total 13. ...

Accused for war crimes

• The ICTY has charged four JNA commanders with command responsibility: Veljko Kadijević, Blagoje Adžić, Borisav Jović and Aleksandar Vasiljević for war crimes done during the siege. Slobodan Milošević was also charged ^[8].

• General Pavle Strugar was sentenced to between 13 and 15 years for his role in the shelling of the city ^[9].

• Miodrag Jokić (commander of JNA Naval District) was sentenced to 7 years ^[10].

• Vladimir Kovačević (commander of third batallion 472nd Motorized JNA Brigade) was accused together with Strugar, but his case was transferred to Courts of Serbia ^[11].

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia is a body of the United Nations established to prosecute war crimes in the former Yugoslavia. ... Colonel General Veljko Kadijević (born 1925 in Glavina near Imotski) was minister of defence in Yugoslav government from 1988 to 1992[1], which makes him de facto commander of Yugoslav Peoples Army during Ten-Day War and initial stages of Croatian War of Independence. ... Borisav Jovic (born 1928) was a Serbian communist politician, who served as the Serbian member of the collective presidency of Yugoslavia during the late 1980s and early 1990s. ... Aleksandar Vasiljević was a major general and the leader of the Kontra-ObaveÅ¡tajna Služba. ... Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević Slobodan MiloÅ¡ević   (IPA Serbian Cyrillic: Слободан Милошевић) (Požarevac, 20 August 1941 – The Hague, 11 March 2006) was President of Serbia and of Yugoslavia. ... Vladimir Kovačević (born January 15, 1961 in NikÅ¡ić, Montenegro) is a Serb soldier who was charged with violation of the laws of war by the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for his actions in the sieging of Dubrovnik during the Croatian War of Independence. ... Anthem: Bože pravde (English: God of Justice) Capital (and largest city) Belgrade Official languages Serbian written with the Cyrillic alphabet1 Government Republic  - President Boris Tadić  - Prime Minister Vojislav KoÅ¡tunica Establishment    - Formation 8th century   - Independence c. ...

References

External links

• Film footage of the shelling
• Indictment against P. Strugar and V. Kovačević (includes list of damaged religious, art and education buildings and monuments in the UNESCO protected old city) (Croatian)
• Publication "Dubrovnik: War for peace" on the siege of Dubrovnik published by Helsinki Commitee for human rights in Serbia (Serbian)
• United Nations report on the battle