Croatian War of Independence (1991-1995)

On June 25, 1991, Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia — on the same day as Slovenia. What followed were four years of war that changed the country forever.

Background

About 12% of the Croatian population were ethnic Serbs, mainly living in the former military frontier (Krajina). Under the influence of Serbian President Slobodan Milošević and the propaganda of a "Greater Serbia," the Krajina Serbs declared their own "Republic" and began expelling the Croatian population. The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) de facto supported the Serbian troops.

Vukovar (1991)

The Battle of Vukovar (August–November 1991) became a symbol of the war: for 87 days, poorly armed Croatian troops and civilians defended the eastern Slavonian town against a massive siege. After the fall of the city on November 18, Serbian paramilitaries committed the Ovčara massacre — 264 prisoners of war and civilians were murdered. Vukovar was 80% destroyed and remains a divided city to this day.

Siege of Dubrovnik (1991-1992)

The bombing of the UNESCO World Heritage city Dubrovnik by the JNA from October 1991 shocked the world. Over 2,000 shells hit the old town; 68% of all buildings were damaged. The images of the burning "Pearl of the Adriatic" significantly contributed to international sympathy for Croatia. In the "War Photo Limited" museum in Dubrovnik, you can vividly relive this time.

Operation Storm (1995)

The Operation Oluja (Storm) from August 4-7, 1995, ended the war militarily: in just 84 hours, the Croatian army recaptured the entire Krajina. It was the largest military ground offensive in Europe since World War II. For Croats, the "Day of Victory" (August 5) is a national holiday; for the ~200,000 fleeing Krajina Serbs, it is a day of mourning.

Balance

The war claimed about 20,000 lives (including ~13,500 Croats and ~6,500 Serbs), 300,000 were displaced, and a third of the country was temporarily occupied. Some areas are still mined today — warning signs in the hinterland should be taken seriously.