{"title":"Aleksandar Radic","description":null,"products":[{"product_id":"yugoslav-air-force-volume-1-book-aleksandar-radic-9781912866359","title":"The Yugoslav Air Force Volume 1","description":"During the late 1980s, the former Socialist Federal Republic of Jugoslavia (SFRJ) - a country dominating the Balkans - experienced a period of major crisis. Led by the Communist Party, the nation's leadership failed to understand the depth of political changes all over Eastern Europe, and then split along ethic lines. In 1988-1989, ethnic Albanians in the autonomous province of Kosovo began demanding independence: the authorities of the SFRJ reacted by suppressing the resulting demonstrations. In the Federal Republic of Serbia, public opinion slid into nationalism, which the local communist leadership exploited to maintain itself in power. By 1990, nationalistic leaders rose to power in Slovenia and Croatia, and publicly announced their intention to secede these federal republics.Under the heavy shadow of growing war-mongering, politicians from all three sides met to reach settlements on the division of their and their emerging nation's interests. The last few influential supporters of the preservation of a federal state were quickly pushed aside, and the powerful military of the SRFJ - the Yugoslav Popular Army (Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija, JNA) - became an instrument of political games.The Slovenian and Croatian proclamations of independence, in June 1991, proved to be the drop that over spilled the barrel. Already split by deep rifts within their top political and military leaders, the federal authorities launched a rather confused attempt to recover control over the external borders of the SRFJ. The nascent Slovenian military resisted, causing a series of bloody clashes with the JNA.Tasked with the transport and protection of federal employees, the Yugoslav Air Force and Air Defense (JRViPVO) found itself in the thick of combat from day one of this conflict, when the Slovenes shot down two of its helicopters. In return, the JRViPVO began flying attack sorties, which ended only through a political agreement of 2 July 1991, and the decision for Yugoslav authorities to withdraw from Slovenia.Hard on the heels of this drama, the conflict between Croats and Serbs in Croatia reached boiling point, in the summer of 1991. Slowly at first, a major war erupted, which caught the JRViPVO in a paradoxical situation as part of it was still undergoing training, while another part had to fly shows of power, and undertake reconnaissance, transport and then the first combat operations. By September 1991, the conflict turned into an ugly slugging match: Croatian forces had blocked numerous military bases and major storage depots while the JNA received orders to lift the sieges of its surrounded units. Amid the following civil war, the JRViPVO often found itself forced to take drastic decisions, like when one of its units was relocated from the Federal Republic of Macedonia to Pula in Croatia, to fly combat sorties over the local battlefields.For the JRViPVO, the war in Croatia ended through a political settlement and a cease-fire of 3 January 1992. However, only weeks later the force was to see its final action in Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it flew combat operations against local separatists. While another political agreement resulted in a withdrawal of all federal forces from this part of the former Yugoslavia on 19 Mary 1992, and the loss (and destruction) of the major air base outside Bihac, this was also the swan song of the once proud Yugoslav air force.Based on the author's unique approach to local archives and first-hand sources, and illustrated by over 120 photographs and color profiles, the \u003ci\u003eJRVIPVO in Yugoslav War\u003c\/i\u003e is the first ever authoritative account of combat operations of the former Yugoslav Air Force in the conflict that shaped the modern-day southern Europe, and an indispensable source of reference on contemporary military history of this part of the World.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":49737446228241,"sku":"NGR9781912866359","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1912866358.jpg?v=1751630767"},{"product_id":"yugoslav-air-force-volume-3-book-aleksandar-radic-9781804518670","title":"The Yugoslav Air Force Volume 3","description":"\u003cb\u003eNorthwestern and southern Croatia saw the RV i PVO's operations shape the conflict, revealing how air power intersected with strategic aims and civilian consequences.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Following years of growing tensions and months of small-scale armed conflict, in summer 1991 the crisis in the former Socialist Federative Republic of Jugoslavia (SFRJ) culminated in a war. Following a brief conflict in which the Federal forces were forced to withdraw from Slovenia, the focus of the conflict moved to Croatia. Feeling threatened by Serbian nationalism, the new government in Zagreb, the capitol of Croatia, was determined to lead the country into independence. Convinced their duty was to safeguard the survival of the multi-ethnic country, and aiming to prevent this republic from breaking up the federation, generals in charge of the armed forces were determined to launch a military intervention to thwart Croatia's secession. However, Serbian political leaders were supporting a secession of Serbian nationalists in Croatia: with their- and the clandestine support from within the ranks of the Jugoslav National Army (JNA), the Serbs in Croatia brought nearly a third of the country under their control, in turn adding fuel to fire of Croatian nationalists.As described in the Volume 2 of this mini-series - the war in that country erupted on 14 September 1991, when Croatia went into a strategic offensive and imposed a blockade of all military bases of the Jugoslav National Army (JNA). Like the JNA, the Jugoslav Air Force and Air Defence Force (RV i PVO) considered itself a 'peacekeeper': therefore, and exactly like in northern- and central Croatia, in north-western- and southern Croatia it went into action through providing protection and close air support for JNA forces blocked by Croats inside their barracks.However, only two days later, the JNA launched its own, full-blown strategic offensive, aiming to totally defeat the government in Zagreb. Supported by Serbian and Montenegrin paramilitary forces, the JNA and the RV i PVO proved more successful while advancing into the central and southern Croatia, than in the north and east. However, their offensive also proved a disaster for the Federals: it not only caused mass desertions, but ended with involved forces becoming bogged down in month-long battles for Karlovac, Zadar, and Sibenik. Worse yet, widespread atrocities against civilians, and pillaging of the areas around the historic town of Dubrovnik, as well as repeated and massive air strikes and artillery barrages on the latter have not only demolished the reputation of the JNA and the RV i PVO, but also crystallised the federal forces as an aggressor. Ultimately, this forced top commanders of Federal forces to accept the Serbian political war aims - which, ultimately, led to both the JNA and the RV i PVO beginning the process of conversion into the Serbian armed forces.Richly illustrated with authentic photography and custom-made colour illustrations, the Volume 3 of this mini-series is covering the RV i PVO's operations over north-western- and southern Croatia, through August, September, and early November 1991.","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"- \/ - \/ -","offer_id":51880403239185,"sku":null,"price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ NEW \/ GARDNERS","offer_id":51880403468561,"sku":"NGR9781804518670","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}]}],"url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/collections\/author-books-by-aleksandar-radic.oembed","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}