Domazet-Lošo Davor: Hrvatska i veliko ratište. Međunarodne igre na prostoru zvanom bivša Jugoslavija

Davor Domazet-Lošo: Croatia and the great battlefield. International games in the area called former Yugoslavia

International games in the area called former Yugoslavia The work "Croatia and the Great Battlefield" (Zagreb, 2002) was written by Davor Domazet. The name "Croatia" in the title is not limiting, because the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina is also fully covered in Domazet's work. The characteristics of this book are as follows: it was written as a professional analysis, but the author did not allow it to turn into a tedious scholastic study, and he avoided the pitfalls and dry specialist presentations, as well as sensationalistic journalistic soap operas; it is the first and the most comprehensive book in the world in which the events on the ground, the genesis of the conflict, the role of the "international community", and the geopolitical interests and ambitions of major (and somewhat smaller) powers are analyzed. In "Croatia and the Great Battlefield" the most modern approach has been applied so far: rather static geopolitical theories, which abounded in world literature (Brzezinski: "The Great Chessboard", Huntington: The Clash of Civilizations), were discussed as an integral part of contemporary strategy, which the author clarified through the terminology of deterministic chaos theory. The book is divided into 9 chapters: Strategic determinants or a comprehensive approach to war; How was the aggression against Croatia prepared or the transformation of the JNA into a Serbian imperial force; The role of the JNA as a Serbian imperial power in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina; Strategic approach to operations to liberate the occupied territories of the Republic of Croatia-preparation; Liberation operations of the Croatian Army - persuasiveness of military power and/or change in strategic relationship; Military, political and diplomatic games on a large battlefield from 1993 to 1995; Conflict of interests or Tuđman's strategic determinations in the Homeland War; New space integration strategy or constant 2K; Determinants of the modern model of war. The work is richly illustrated with schematic maps showing various military and political parameters during the war, both in Croatia, the former Yugoslavia, and in the world; also, the graphs show simulations of the interrelationships of various variables with which modern warfare operates. However, in order not to get the impression that it is an inaccessible academic study, it should be said that Domazet's book is an excellent (although not journalistically "easy") written work that provides an explanation of many interesting topics for a wider readership: why Croatia avoided the strategic trap of attacking barracks ("Špegeljev plan"); why is Croatia the "international community" of the "rules" of the aggressor; why Croatia did not officially declare war; why Bosanska Posavina fell; who and how saved Bosnia and Herzegovina; why did Srebrenica fall? These, as well as other controversies and myths (about the alleged "lack of information" and "failure to understand" the external factors of the war, from the USA through Britain, France and Germany to Russia; or about the supposed "equality" in the JNA, which in the 80s, more than 5 years before the outbreak of the war, seriously began its transformation into a military force subordinate to Serbian imperial interests), was lucidly analyzed and interpreted by Domazet unreached level.