Original scientific paper
STATE OF MORALE, COMBAT READINESS AND SUPPLY PROBLEMS IN THE 18TH CORPS OF SERB ARMY OF KRAJINA
Darjan Godić
orcid.org/0000-0002-6082-9588
; Croatian Institute of History, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The author analyses the state of logistics and combat morale in the 18th Army Corps of the Serbian Krajina. This Army Corps was established through reorganization of the Territorial Defence in the occupied territories of Western Slavonia. It consisted of three infantry brigades, two squadrons, a tactical group, an intervention battalion, a mixed artillery regiment and a background base. At the level of the Corps Command, logistics services were established with the purpose of supplying and equipping the units. Due to the lack of material and technical resources, as well as manpower, the corps was the smallest and the weakest within the Serbian Army of Krajina and it never reached the level anticipated in the organization and formation plans. The Corps Logistics could not supply sufficient amounts of food and equipment for the recruits. Poor nutrition and badly equipped troops had led to declining levels of morale and ability to perform combat tasks. General poverty resulted in the increase of crime and decline of military discipline among the troops. Alcoholism and disobedience had led to frequent fatal accidents among soldiers. Although the Headquarters were aware of all the problems in the Corps, they failed to entice discipline among compulsorily enlisted soldiers and to ensure regular and adequate supply of the subordinate units. The decline of morale, indiscipline and the lack of military equipment had caused the inability of the 18th Corps to carry out everyday combat tasks. For all its weaknesses, the Corps had not been able to successfully resist the attack from Croatian forces, which brought its final collapse in May 1995.
Keywords
Serbian Army of Krajina; 18th Corps; Logistics; Fighting morale; Western Slavonia
Hrčak ID:
129062
URI
Publication date:
20.10.2014.
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