storm - Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog ...

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Books:
AUTHOR’S BIOGRAPHY
Davor MARIJAN (1966) completed his education in Livno and
in Zagreb where he graduated from the Faculty of Arts and Letters
(history and archaeology) in 1994. In 2005 he also won at the
same Faculty his MS degree in 2005, and in 2006 his Ph.D. degree
on the theme Th e Yugoslav National Army and the Disintegration
of the Socialist Republic of Croatia 1987-1992. Since 2001 he has
been engaged, in the Croatian Institute of History, in the project
“Th e Creation of the Republic of Croatia and the Homeland War
1991-1995-1998”. He studies the military history of Croatia and
Yugoslavia in the period between 1941 and 1995. He has published
four books and more than twenty papers and articles.
“Borbe za Kupres” (Th e Battles for Kupres), AGM, Zagreb, 1999
“Smrt oklopne brigade” (Th e Death of the Armoured Brigade), Naklada Zoro, Zagreb-
Sarajevo, 2002
“Bitka za Vukovar” (Th e Battle for Vukovar), Hrvatski institut za povijest: Podružnica
za povijest Slavonije, Srijema i Baranje, Zagreb - Slavonski Brod, 2004
“Graničari: Prilog za ratni put 108. brigade Zbora narodne garde Republike Hrvatske”
(Th e Frontiersmen: History of the War Path of the 108 th Croatian National Guards
Brigade), Hrvatski institut za povijest: Podružnica za povijest Slavonije, Srijema i
Baranje, Zagreb - Slavonski Brod, 2006
... Th e key point is that Storm could not be avoided. Storm cannot be regarded outside the
context of developments in 1990-1991. Th e purpose of SAO Krajina emerged in 1990, and
the self-proclaimed Republic of the Serbian Krajina in late 1991 was not the creation of an
independent state in Croatia, and that is the issue. Th e goal of the rebel Serbs was integration
with Serbia... Some call it Yugoslavia, others Greater Serbia, ultimately it boils down to a state
in which all the Serbs live. When the project failed in 1991, the RSK was created in order to save
the day. Negotiations with the leadership of the rebel Serbs went on for three-four years... Th ey
were really off ered everything that could be off ered, and they turned down the lot. All that was
left was the military option, which dealt with the issue...
... However, when a war starts, it has to be won. What is essential in the whole story, and
documents are truly convincing in this regard... is that Croatia endeavoured to avoid war in
every possible way. Even in the context of war within its borders Croatia did not attack. It was
attacked, and that should be borne in mind.
Matters came to a head with the fi rst Bihać crisis in late 1994, which marked the start of the
Croatian cycle of operations from Livanjsko Polje up to assuming control on Mount Dinara. It
was a long process, and a chapter which needs to be taken into account in the story about the
crushing of the RSK... Th ere are myths also about this war. Everybody has his own myths...
Th ere is a famous myth about Serbian invincibility... In this context due consideration needs to
be taken of the fact that the Krajina Serbs were watching for seven months how the Croatian