croatian garde armed force established croatia april croatian war independence established framework legal reasons direct command tasked protection croatia borders territory tasks normally associated police forces formed transfer special police units establishing professional brigades presented public military parade commanded defence minister general resignation early august replaced general head general staff established september development experienced number problems including shortages weapons ammunition lack uniforms inadequate training overall trained officers poor staff work command structures preventing effective coordination multiple units problems offset good morale clear objectives high levels battle barracks expanded significantly arms captured end october new brigades independent battalions established november renamed background electoral defeat government croatia croatian ethnic tensions croatian serbs worsened believed croatia use equipment build army confront minimize expected resistance confiscated weapons august tensions escalated open revolt croatian serbs centred predominantly populated areas near southern town parts regions eastern croatia established july coordinate opposition croatian president policy pursuing independence croatia elected president police chief established paramilitary militias men eventually political military leaders self declared state incorporating inhabited areas croatia learned croatia intention develop military force captain double agent employed croatia devised aimed croatian forces arrest trial croatian leadership response operation prepared december federal defence minister general sought carry yugoslav presidency instead ordered stand morning operation scheduled begin beginning croatia regular army bolster defence croatia doubled size police force effective force strong special police deployed military organisation battalions addition organised reserve police officers reserve police set battalions companies lacked weapons needed arm troops history establishment began april formation police force military capability considered necessary croatian authorities march clashes lakes possibility confrontation illegal establish separate military constituent republic yugoslavia planned police force parliament amended april formally established days later tasked protection constitutional order maintenance public order anti terrorist operations protection croatia borders territory coast territorial waters valuable structures high profile individuals formally subordinate founding legislation stipulated commanded number troops composition determined followed operational guidelines issued defence interior ministers transfer police personnel special police units transferred forming brigades july approximately troops unlike croatian forces fully equipped small arms reserve police force numbering april transferred reserve brigades independent battalions established special forces unit core consisting volunteers drawn initially relied french troops july reserve force troops assigned brigades independent battalions possess sufficient heavy small arms personnel croatian police approximately small arms additional weapons obtained abroad august presented public military parade street stadium boost morale parade featured approximately soldiers dozen anti aircraft systems armoured cars armoured personnel carriers participated development problems command individual units regional commands established eastern area central northern southern late july august crisis headquarters command authority units established municipal level command structure particularly poor preventing effective coordination units crisis headquarters entrusted high level authority consisted politicians little military training service multiple units deployed single area authority coordinating activities command systems reactivated places somewhat improving situation problems faced included shortage trained officers inadequate troop training shortage weapons especially shortage ammunition proved particularly successful troops plentiful approximately percent called september october reported service short uniforms percent drafted period received uniforms remainder fought civilian clothes relied civilian infrastructure food fuel medical care replaced defence minister july remained command august resigned refusal attacks barracks resignation command entrusted general transition mid september regional commands replaced operational zones headquartered split zones possessed uneven strength heavily equipped zone twice average troop strength capturing weapons battle barracks expanded reserve brigades independent battalions end october addition professional guards brigades brigade planned troops reality size varied named special forces battalions established addition battalions september parliament enacted defence act comprised time armed forces formally legislation designated reserve units constituent reserve force following day general staff established headed october day croatia declared independence defence act amended reserve units reserve named leaving professional force renamed november service units participated number significant battles early war attempting hold yugoslav forces include battles defended cities coast allies took battles eastern defended contributed capture barracks operation attempt push western legacy continued grow numbering troops end force successfully countered year organisation training heavy weapons support end lacked sufficient resources push continued experiencing inadequate work staff nonetheless like benefited troops high morale defined purpose mission growth systematic improvement capability accelerated continuing croatian war independence anniversary parade street stadium celebrated annually croatia armed forces day
Croatian National Guard