Preliminary communication
THE VUKOVAR RESISTANCE TO SERBIAN ARMED AGGRESSION AGAINST CROATIA IN 1991...
Josip Jurčević
; Zagreb
Abstract
Vukovar was, because of its geostrategical position, one of the
first targets of Serbia's war conquest of the Republic of Croatia in
1991. Despite the Serbian Army's pronounced military
predominance, the defenders of Vukovar managed (although
completely surrounded) to resist the attacks for 80 days - inflicting
serious human and material losses. Some 300 tanks and
armoured vehicles were destroyed, as well as about 25 army
airplanes; the number of dead Chetniks and Serbian soldiers
ranges from seven to ten thousand, while twenty-five to thirty
thousand were wounded. Due to the balance of forces, which was
for the Croatian defenders highly unfavourable, and due to
successful military results achieved ins pite of extremely modest
weaponry, "the Vukovar phenomenon" is the subject of analysis
at military academies world-wide. In addition to its military
importance for the survival and defense of the Croatian Republic,
Vukovar has become the symbol of Croatian resistance to Serbian
armed aggression. This paper, based on accessible sources, is a
contribution to the analysis of the heroic defense of Vukovar.
Keywords
Hrčak ID:
32537
URI
Publication date:
1.3.1993.
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