Yugoslav People's Army

Yugoslav People's Army was formed in 1945, after World War II, as the military force of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, with Josip Broz Tito as its commander. The army was established from the Yugoslav Partisans, a communist-led resistance movement that fought against the Axis powers during the war, including the German Army, Italian Army, and Hungarian Army. The Yugoslav People's Army was closely tied to the League of Communists of Yugoslavia and played a significant role in maintaining the country's independence from the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, as seen in the Tito-Stalin Split and the Informbiro period. The army also participated in various international events, such as the Non-Aligned Movement and the United Nations.

● History

The Yugoslav People's Army was formed on March 22, 1945, with the merger of the Yugoslav Partisans and the Yugoslav Army in the Fatherland, which was a royalist-led resistance movement. The army's early years were marked by a struggle for power between the communist-led government and the royalist-led opposition, including the Chetniks and the Croatian Home Guard. The Yugoslav People's Army played a key role in the Yugoslav-Soviet split in 1948, when Josip Broz Tito's government refused to submit to Joseph Stalin's demands, leading to a period of international isolation and the formation of the Informbiro. The army also participated in various military operations, including the Slovenian Independence War and the Croatian War of Independence, against the Ustaše and the Croatian Defence Forces. The Yugoslav People's Army was also involved in the Bosnian War and the Kosovo War, fighting against the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Kosovo Liberation Army.

● Organization

The Yugoslav People's Army was organized into several branches, including the Ground Forces, Air Force and Air Defence, and Navy. The army was also divided into several military districts, including the Belgrade Military District, Zagreb Military District, and Ljubljana Military District. The Yugoslav People's Army was led by the General Staff of the Yugoslav People's Army, which was headed by the Chief of the General Staff, including notable figures such as Kosta Nađ, Ljubo Vučković, and Veljko Kadijević. The army also had a number of specialized units, including the Yugoslav Air Force, Yugoslav Navy, and Yugoslav Special Forces, which were trained by the United States Army Special Forces and the British Special Air Service. The Yugoslav People's Army also maintained close ties with other military forces, including the Soviet Army, Czechoslovak People's Army, and Polish People's Army.

● Equipment

The Yugoslav People's Army was equipped with a wide range of military equipment, including T-55 tanks, M-84 tanks, and BOV APCs, which were produced by the Zastava Arms and Crvena Zastava factories. The army also operated a number of aircraft, including the MiG-21, MiG-29, and Soko J-22 Orao, which were produced by the Soko Aircraft Factory and the Utva Aircraft Factory. The Yugoslav People's Army also had a number of naval vessels, including the Koni-class frigates and Osa-class missile boats, which were produced by the Brodogradilište Split and Brodogradilište Kraljevica shipyards. The army also used a range of small arms, including the Zastava M70, Zastava M84, and Sako M95, which were produced by the Zastava Arms factory.

● Ranks

The Yugoslav People's Army had a complex system of ranks, which were divided into several categories, including officer ranks, non-commissioned officer ranks, and enlisted ranks. The highest rank in the army was Marshal of Yugoslavia, which was held by Josip Broz Tito and a few other high-ranking officers, including Ivan Gošnjak and Kosta Nađ. Other notable ranks included General of the Army, Colonel General, and Major General, which were held by officers such as Veljko Kadijević, Blagoje Adžić, and Života Panić. The Yugoslav People's Army also had a number of specialized ranks, including pilot ranks and naval ranks, which were held by officers such as Slobodan Aligrudić and Milan Zelenika.

● Operations

The Yugoslav People's Army was involved in a number of military operations, including the Slovenian Independence War and the Croatian War of Independence, against the Slovenian Territorial Defence and the Croatian National Guard. The army also participated in the Bosnian War and the Kosovo War, fighting against the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Kosovo Liberation Army. The Yugoslav People's Army also maintained a presence in several international peacekeeping missions, including the United Nations Protection Force and the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia. The army also participated in various military exercises, including the Exercise "Sloboda 71"] and the Exercise "Jugoslavija 85"], which were held in cooperation with the Soviet Army and the Czechoslovak People's Army. The Yugoslav People's Army was disbanded in 1992, after the dissolution of Yugoslavia, and its assets were divided among the newly formed armies of the Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.

Category:Military of Yugoslavia