Junaci Domovinskog rata #11

The eleventh book in the renowned monographic series "Heroes of the Homeland War" by Davor Runtić brings a comprehensive and poignant testimony to the initial stages of the Serbian aggression against the Republic of Croatia and to the people who stood on the front line of defense. This work combines detailed biographical records of the individual destinies of the defenders with an analytical account of the pivotal historical events of 1991, creating an invaluable historical document on the struggle for Croatian independence.

The first part of the book is entirely dedicated to the personal destinies, military paths and sacrifices of a number of individuals and comrades who bore the brunt of the beginning of the war. Through thoroughly researched biographies, the lives of fighters such as Ivan Vaht, Marijan Kornet, Robert Moljičanin, Ilija Perajica, Zvonko Mlinarić - Špenc, Mirko Nikolašević - Brko, Zdenko Mujkić - Mujo, Stjepan Stipe Komšić and Josip Vuletić are covered. Runtić also provides notes on Martin Sablić, Stjepan Kupsjak, Nikola Ivanec, Damir Barberić, Dražen Pervan, Miroslav Polak, Marijan Petrovečki, Lada Lekčević and Velimir Bijelić. Special attention is also paid to the war stories of comrades such as Željko Cindrić and Ivica Filković, Ivan Rončević and Robert Žili, and Denis Koler and Željko Biljan.

In the second part of the book, the author provides an overview of the key political and military events that marked the beginning of the open war. Runtić reconstructs in detail the conflict in Pakrac in March 1991, which is considered the first serious armed clash between the Croatian police and the rebel Serbs, and the tragic “Bloody Easter” in Plitvice, where the first victim of the Homeland War, Josip Jović, fell. The author also analyzes the massacre in Borovo Selo, an event that permanently changed the course of the conflict, as well as the constant pressure of the then military leadership of the JNA on the Croatian authorities. The book concludes with an account of a key transition from the summer of 1991 — the process of reorganization and transfer of personnel from the ranks of the Croatian police to the newly established Croatian Army (National Guard Corps), thus laying the foundation for the defense forces.

With this edition, Davor Runtić ensures a lasting memory of the early days of the creation of the state and the fearless people whose courage paved the way for Croatian freedom.