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  • Croatia
    1991
    Slobodan Milošević

    Milošević Rejected The Independence of Croatia

    Croatia
    1991

    Milošević rejected the independence of Croatia in 1991, and even after the formation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), it too did not initially recognized Croatia's independence.




  • Pakrac, Croatia
    Mar, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Serbs attacked Croatian police units

    Pakrac, Croatia
    Mar, 1991

    The conflict escalated into armed incidents in the majority-Serb populated areas. The Serbs attacked Croatian police units in Pakrac in early March.




  • Croatia
    Mar, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Plitvice Lakes incident

    Croatia
    Mar, 1991

    Josip Jović is widely reported as the first police officer killed by Serb forces as part of the war, during the Plitvice Lakes incident in late March 1991.




  • Croatia
    Thursday Apr 11, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatian Army

    Croatia
    Thursday Apr 11, 1991

    The Croatian military was in a much worse state than that of the Serbs. In the early stages of the war, lack of military units meant that the Croatian Police force would take the brunt of the fighting. The Croatian National Guard, the new Croatian military, was formed on 11 April 1991, and gradually developed into the Croatian Army by 1993.




  • Sotin, Croatia
    Sunday May 5, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    A Serb civilian was killed

    Sotin, Croatia
    Sunday May 5, 1991

    While in Sotin, a Serb civilian was killed on 5 May when he was caught in a crossfire between Serb and Croat paramilitaries.




  • Croatia
    Sunday May 19, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Croatian authorities held a referendum on independence

    Croatia
    Sunday May 19, 1991

    On 19 May 1991, the Croatian authorities held a referendum on independence with the option of remaining in Yugoslavia as a looser union. Serb local authorities issued calls for a boycott, which were largely followed by Croatian Serbs. The referendum passed with 94% in favor.




  • Zagreb, Croatia
    Tuesday May 28, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    A Military Parade and Review

    Zagreb, Croatia
    Tuesday May 28, 1991

    The newly constituted Croatian military units held a military parade and review at Stadion Kranjčevićeva in Zagreb on 28 May 1991.


  • Croatia
    Thursday Jun 6, 1991
    Bosnian War

    A Weak Confederation

    Croatia
    Thursday Jun 6, 1991

    On 6 June, Izetbegović and Macedonian president Kiro Gligorov proposed a weak confederation between Croatia, Slovenia and a federation of the other four republics, which was rejected by Milošević.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatia's independence

    Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991

    The parliament of Croatia declared Croatia's independence and dissolved its association with Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991
    Bosnian War

    Slovenia and Croatia declared independence

    Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991

    On 25 June 1991, both Slovenia and Croatia declared independence, which led to a short armed conflict in Slovenia called the Ten-Day War, and an all-out war in Croatia in the Croatian War of Independence in areas with a substantial ethnic Serb population.


  • Slovenia
    Wednesday Jun 26, 1991
    Ten-Day War (Slovenian Independence War)

    Yugoslav People's Army's 13th Corps moved towards Slovenia's borders with Italy

    Slovenia
    Wednesday Jun 26, 1991

    On the morning of 26 June, units of the Yugoslav People's Army's 13th Corps left their barracks in Rijeka, Croatia, to move towards Slovenia's borders with Italy.


  • Croatia
    Aug, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Only 20 brigades

    Croatia
    Aug, 1991

    In August 1991, the Croatian Army had fewer than 20 brigades.


  • Vukovar, Croatia
    Sunday Aug 25, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Battle of Vukovar

    Vukovar, Croatia
    Sunday Aug 25, 1991

    In August 1991, the Battle of Vukovar began. The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of Vukovar in eastern Croatia by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), supported by various paramilitary forces from Serbia, between August and November 1991. Before the Croatian War of Independence the Baroque town was a prosperous, mixed community of Croats, Serbs and other ethnic groups. As Yugoslavia began to break up, Serbia's President Slobodan Milošević and Croatia's President Franjo Tuđman began pursuing nationalist politics. In 1990, an armed insurrection was started by Croatian Serb militias, supported by the Serbian government and paramilitary groups, who seized control of Serb-populated areas of Croatia. The JNA began to intervene in favour of the rebellion, and conflict broke out in the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia in May 1991. In August, the JNA launched a full-scale attack against Croatian-held territory in eastern Slavonia, including Vukovar.


  • Croatia
    Saturday Sep 14, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Battle of the barracks

    Croatia
    Saturday Sep 14, 1991

    This move followed months of standoff for JNA positions in Dalmatia and elsewhere now known as the Battle of the barracks.


  • Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Sunday Sep 15, 1991
    Bosnian War

    Croatian National Guard (ZNG) raided Bosanski Brod

    Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Sunday Sep 15, 1991

    In September 1991, Croatian National Guard (ZNG) organised armed incursions across the Croatian border into Bosnia. ZNG opened mortar fire on Bosanska Dubica on 13 September 1991, and raided Bosanski Brod on 15 September 1991.


  • Croatia
    Monday Sep 16, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Operation Coast-91

    Croatia
    Monday Sep 16, 1991

    It also coincided with the end of Operation Coast-91, in which the JNA failed to occupy the coastline in an attempt to cut off Dalmatia's access to the rest of Croatia.


  • Vokovar, Croatia
    Friday Sep 20, 1991
    Bosnian War

    The JNA transferred troops to the front at Vukovar

    Vokovar, Croatia
    Friday Sep 20, 1991

    On 20 September 1991, the JNA transferred troops to the front at Vukovar via the Višegrad region of northeastern Bosnia. In response, local Croats and Bosniaks set up barricades and machine-gun posts. They halted a column of 60 JNA tanks but were dispersed by force the following day. More than 1,000 people had to flee the area. This action, nearly seven months before the start of the Bosnian War, caused the first casualties of the Yugoslav Wars in Bosnia.


  • Croatia
    Thursday Oct 3, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Blockade of the main ports of Croatia

    Croatia
    Thursday Oct 3, 1991

    On October 3, the Yugoslav Navy renewed its blockade of the main ports of Croatia.


  • Croatia
    Saturday Oct 5, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    A Speech against "Greater Serbian imperialism"

    Croatia
    Saturday Oct 5, 1991

    On October 5, President Tuđman made a speech in which he called upon the whole population to mobilize and defend against "Greater Serbian imperialism" pursued by the Serb-led JNA, Serbian paramilitary formations, and rebel Serb forces.


  • Zagreb, Croatia
    Monday Oct 7, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Bombing of Banski dvori

    Zagreb, Croatia
    Monday Oct 7, 1991

    On 7 October, the Yugoslav air force attacked the main government building in Zagreb, an incident referred to as the bombing of Banski dvori.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 8, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Independence day of Croatia

    Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 8, 1991

    The next day, as a previously agreed three-month moratorium on implementation of the declaration of independence expired, the Croatian Parliament severed all remaining ties with Yugoslavia. 8 October is now celebrated as Independence Day in Croatia.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 15, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Dubrovnik Republic

    Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 15, 1991

    On 15 October after the capture of Cavtat by the JNA, local Serbs led by Aco Apolonio proclaimed the Dubrovnik Republic.


  • Croatia and Slovenia
    Tuesday Oct 29, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Operation Orkan 91

    Croatia and Slovenia
    Tuesday Oct 29, 1991

    Croatian forces made further advances in the second half of December, including Operation Orkan 91 which was a military offensive undertaken by the Croatian Army (Hrvatska vojska – HV) against the Yugoslav People's Army (Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija – JNA) and SAO Western Slavonia Territorial Defense Forces in the Sava River valley, in the region of Western Slavonia during the Croatian War of Independence. The operation began on 29 October 1991 and ended on 3 January 1992 when a nationwide ceasefire was signed to implement the Vance plan. The offensive was aimed at recapturing the region, in conjunction with two other HV offensives launched against SAO Western Slavonia in the north of the region within days.


  • Croatia and Slovenia
    Thursday Oct 31, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Operation Otkos 10

    Croatia and Slovenia
    Thursday Oct 31, 1991

    Operation Otkos 10 (31 October to 4 November) resulted in Croatia recapturing an area between the Bilogora and Papuk mountains.


  • Croatia
    Friday Nov 1, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatian successful counterattack

    Croatia
    Friday Nov 1, 1991

    The Croatian army began a successful counterattack in early November 1991, its first major offensive operation of the war.


  • Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Tuesday Nov 12, 1991
    Bosnian War

    The Croatian Community of Bosnian Posavina

    Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Tuesday Nov 12, 1991

    On 12 November 1991, the Croatian Community of Bosnian Posavina was established in Bosanski Brod. It covered eight municipalities in northern Bosnia.


  • Croatia
    Thursday Nov 14, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Navy blockade of Dalmatian ports

    Croatia
    Thursday Nov 14, 1991

    On 14 November, the Navy blockade of Dalmatian ports was challenged by civilian ships. The confrontation culminated in the Battle of the Dalmatian channels, when Croatian coastal and island based artillery damaged, sank, or captured a number of Yugoslav navy vessels, including Mukos PČ 176, later rechristened PB 62 Šolta.


  • Istria, Croatia
    Saturday Dec 21, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Istria was under attack

    Istria, Croatia
    Saturday Dec 21, 1991

    On December 21, 1991 for the first time in the war Istria was under attack.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Dec 31, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatian Army expansion

    Croatia
    Tuesday Dec 31, 1991

    Croatia lost much territory, but expanded the Croatian Army from the seven brigades it had at the time of the first ceasefire to 60 brigades and 37 independent battalions by December 31, 1991.


  • Croatia
    1991
    Slobodan Milošević

    Milošević Rejected The Independence of Croatia

    Croatia
    1991

    Milošević rejected the independence of Croatia in 1991, and even after the formation of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY), it too did not initially recognized Croatia's independence.


  • Pakrac, Croatia
    Mar, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Serbs attacked Croatian police units

    Pakrac, Croatia
    Mar, 1991

    The conflict escalated into armed incidents in the majority-Serb populated areas. The Serbs attacked Croatian police units in Pakrac in early March.


  • Croatia
    Mar, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Plitvice Lakes incident

    Croatia
    Mar, 1991

    Josip Jović is widely reported as the first police officer killed by Serb forces as part of the war, during the Plitvice Lakes incident in late March 1991.


  • Croatia
    Thursday Apr 11, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatian Army

    Croatia
    Thursday Apr 11, 1991

    The Croatian military was in a much worse state than that of the Serbs. In the early stages of the war, lack of military units meant that the Croatian Police force would take the brunt of the fighting. The Croatian National Guard, the new Croatian military, was formed on 11 April 1991, and gradually developed into the Croatian Army by 1993.


  • Sotin, Croatia
    Sunday May 5, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    A Serb civilian was killed

    Sotin, Croatia
    Sunday May 5, 1991

    While in Sotin, a Serb civilian was killed on 5 May when he was caught in a crossfire between Serb and Croat paramilitaries.


  • Croatia
    Sunday May 19, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Croatian authorities held a referendum on independence

    Croatia
    Sunday May 19, 1991

    On 19 May 1991, the Croatian authorities held a referendum on independence with the option of remaining in Yugoslavia as a looser union. Serb local authorities issued calls for a boycott, which were largely followed by Croatian Serbs. The referendum passed with 94% in favor.


  • Zagreb, Croatia
    Tuesday May 28, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    A Military Parade and Review

    Zagreb, Croatia
    Tuesday May 28, 1991

    The newly constituted Croatian military units held a military parade and review at Stadion Kranjčevićeva in Zagreb on 28 May 1991.


  • Croatia
    Thursday Jun 6, 1991
    Bosnian War

    A Weak Confederation

    Croatia
    Thursday Jun 6, 1991

    On 6 June, Izetbegović and Macedonian president Kiro Gligorov proposed a weak confederation between Croatia, Slovenia and a federation of the other four republics, which was rejected by Milošević.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatia's independence

    Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991

    The parliament of Croatia declared Croatia's independence and dissolved its association with Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991
    Bosnian War

    Slovenia and Croatia declared independence

    Croatia
    Tuesday Jun 25, 1991

    On 25 June 1991, both Slovenia and Croatia declared independence, which led to a short armed conflict in Slovenia called the Ten-Day War, and an all-out war in Croatia in the Croatian War of Independence in areas with a substantial ethnic Serb population.


  • Slovenia
    Wednesday Jun 26, 1991
    Ten-Day War (Slovenian Independence War)

    Yugoslav People's Army's 13th Corps moved towards Slovenia's borders with Italy

    Slovenia
    Wednesday Jun 26, 1991

    On the morning of 26 June, units of the Yugoslav People's Army's 13th Corps left their barracks in Rijeka, Croatia, to move towards Slovenia's borders with Italy.


  • Croatia
    Aug, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Only 20 brigades

    Croatia
    Aug, 1991

    In August 1991, the Croatian Army had fewer than 20 brigades.


  • Vukovar, Croatia
    Sunday Aug 25, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Battle of Vukovar

    Vukovar, Croatia
    Sunday Aug 25, 1991

    In August 1991, the Battle of Vukovar began. The Battle of Vukovar was an 87-day siege of Vukovar in eastern Croatia by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), supported by various paramilitary forces from Serbia, between August and November 1991. Before the Croatian War of Independence the Baroque town was a prosperous, mixed community of Croats, Serbs and other ethnic groups. As Yugoslavia began to break up, Serbia's President Slobodan Milošević and Croatia's President Franjo Tuđman began pursuing nationalist politics. In 1990, an armed insurrection was started by Croatian Serb militias, supported by the Serbian government and paramilitary groups, who seized control of Serb-populated areas of Croatia. The JNA began to intervene in favour of the rebellion, and conflict broke out in the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia in May 1991. In August, the JNA launched a full-scale attack against Croatian-held territory in eastern Slavonia, including Vukovar.


  • Croatia
    Saturday Sep 14, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Battle of the barracks

    Croatia
    Saturday Sep 14, 1991

    This move followed months of standoff for JNA positions in Dalmatia and elsewhere now known as the Battle of the barracks.


  • Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Sunday Sep 15, 1991
    Bosnian War

    Croatian National Guard (ZNG) raided Bosanski Brod

    Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Sunday Sep 15, 1991

    In September 1991, Croatian National Guard (ZNG) organised armed incursions across the Croatian border into Bosnia. ZNG opened mortar fire on Bosanska Dubica on 13 September 1991, and raided Bosanski Brod on 15 September 1991.


  • Croatia
    Monday Sep 16, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Operation Coast-91

    Croatia
    Monday Sep 16, 1991

    It also coincided with the end of Operation Coast-91, in which the JNA failed to occupy the coastline in an attempt to cut off Dalmatia's access to the rest of Croatia.


  • Vokovar, Croatia
    Friday Sep 20, 1991
    Bosnian War

    The JNA transferred troops to the front at Vukovar

    Vokovar, Croatia
    Friday Sep 20, 1991

    On 20 September 1991, the JNA transferred troops to the front at Vukovar via the Višegrad region of northeastern Bosnia. In response, local Croats and Bosniaks set up barricades and machine-gun posts. They halted a column of 60 JNA tanks but were dispersed by force the following day. More than 1,000 people had to flee the area. This action, nearly seven months before the start of the Bosnian War, caused the first casualties of the Yugoslav Wars in Bosnia.


  • Croatia
    Thursday Oct 3, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Blockade of the main ports of Croatia

    Croatia
    Thursday Oct 3, 1991

    On October 3, the Yugoslav Navy renewed its blockade of the main ports of Croatia.


  • Croatia
    Saturday Oct 5, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    A Speech against "Greater Serbian imperialism"

    Croatia
    Saturday Oct 5, 1991

    On October 5, President Tuđman made a speech in which he called upon the whole population to mobilize and defend against "Greater Serbian imperialism" pursued by the Serb-led JNA, Serbian paramilitary formations, and rebel Serb forces.


  • Zagreb, Croatia
    Monday Oct 7, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Bombing of Banski dvori

    Zagreb, Croatia
    Monday Oct 7, 1991

    On 7 October, the Yugoslav air force attacked the main government building in Zagreb, an incident referred to as the bombing of Banski dvori.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 8, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Independence day of Croatia

    Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 8, 1991

    The next day, as a previously agreed three-month moratorium on implementation of the declaration of independence expired, the Croatian Parliament severed all remaining ties with Yugoslavia. 8 October is now celebrated as Independence Day in Croatia.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 15, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Dubrovnik Republic

    Croatia
    Tuesday Oct 15, 1991

    On 15 October after the capture of Cavtat by the JNA, local Serbs led by Aco Apolonio proclaimed the Dubrovnik Republic.


  • Croatia and Slovenia
    Tuesday Oct 29, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Operation Orkan 91

    Croatia and Slovenia
    Tuesday Oct 29, 1991

    Croatian forces made further advances in the second half of December, including Operation Orkan 91 which was a military offensive undertaken by the Croatian Army (Hrvatska vojska – HV) against the Yugoslav People's Army (Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija – JNA) and SAO Western Slavonia Territorial Defense Forces in the Sava River valley, in the region of Western Slavonia during the Croatian War of Independence. The operation began on 29 October 1991 and ended on 3 January 1992 when a nationwide ceasefire was signed to implement the Vance plan. The offensive was aimed at recapturing the region, in conjunction with two other HV offensives launched against SAO Western Slavonia in the north of the region within days.


  • Croatia and Slovenia
    Thursday Oct 31, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Operation Otkos 10

    Croatia and Slovenia
    Thursday Oct 31, 1991

    Operation Otkos 10 (31 October to 4 November) resulted in Croatia recapturing an area between the Bilogora and Papuk mountains.


  • Croatia
    Friday Nov 1, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatian successful counterattack

    Croatia
    Friday Nov 1, 1991

    The Croatian army began a successful counterattack in early November 1991, its first major offensive operation of the war.


  • Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Tuesday Nov 12, 1991
    Bosnian War

    The Croatian Community of Bosnian Posavina

    Bosanski Brod, Bosnia and Herzegovina
    Tuesday Nov 12, 1991

    On 12 November 1991, the Croatian Community of Bosnian Posavina was established in Bosanski Brod. It covered eight municipalities in northern Bosnia.


  • Croatia
    Thursday Nov 14, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    The Navy blockade of Dalmatian ports

    Croatia
    Thursday Nov 14, 1991

    On 14 November, the Navy blockade of Dalmatian ports was challenged by civilian ships. The confrontation culminated in the Battle of the Dalmatian channels, when Croatian coastal and island based artillery damaged, sank, or captured a number of Yugoslav navy vessels, including Mukos PČ 176, later rechristened PB 62 Šolta.


  • Istria, Croatia
    Saturday Dec 21, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Istria was under attack

    Istria, Croatia
    Saturday Dec 21, 1991

    On December 21, 1991 for the first time in the war Istria was under attack.


  • Croatia
    Tuesday Dec 31, 1991
    Croatian War of Independence

    Croatian Army expansion

    Croatia
    Tuesday Dec 31, 1991

    Croatia lost much territory, but expanded the Croatian Army from the seven brigades it had at the time of the first ceasefire to 60 brigades and 37 independent battalions by December 31, 1991.


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