Operation Summer '95

Operation Summer '95
Part of the Croatian War of Independence, Bosnian War
Date July 25–30, 1995 Location Western Bosnia and Herzegovina Result Decisive Croatian victory
Belligerents
Croatia Croatian Army (HV) Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Croatian Defence Council (HVO)	Republika Srpska
Commanders and leaders
General Ante Gotovina
Strength
Two HV Guard Brigades[citation needed] (4th Motorized, 7th Mechanized) Two HVO Guard Brigades[citation needed] (1st, 3rd Motorized) Other units	Units of the 2nd Krajina Corps of the VRS (3 motorized brigades, 5 infantry brigades, 5 light brigades and support units)

Bosnian War situation in 1995: Croatian gains during the summer offensive are bright blue

Operation Summer '95 (Croatian: Operacija Ljeto '95) was a joint military offensive of Croatian Army and Croatian Defence Council forces launched in Western Bosnia and Herzegovina in July 1995 during the Croatian War of Independence and the Bosnian War. It ended with a decisive victory for Croatian forces and paved the way for Operation Storm which was to follow in August.

Introduction

Most areas of western Bosnia and Herzegovina were controlled by Bosnian Serb (VRS) forces since the war in 1992. Bihać was the only area of Western Bosnia not to be under Serb control, as well as the Croat-held Herzegovina in the southwest. In 1994, Croatia and Bosnia signed the Washington Agreement and later Split agreement which enabled Croat and Bosnian units to cross the border in support of each other.

By mid-1995, the Croatian Army was in the process of establishing authority among the Serb-held territories in Croatia. After Operation Flash in May, Croat forces started to plan an offensive to capture the entire Krajina region. The most important center of this area and the capital of the self-proclaimed Republic of Serb Krajina, Knin, was the first target for the offensive as its capture would symoblize total defeat for the Serb forces in Croatia.

In order to capture Knin, Croatian forces decided to outflank the city from the east, from the region of Bosnian Krajina. With this in mind, Operation Summer '95 was launched. As preparations for major operations, in the winter of 1994/95, a minor Operation Winter '94 was launched to establish better positions on the vital Dinara mountains.

The Operation

On July 25, Croat forces attacked from Herzegovina, driving north through the Dinara hills. The attack met with only minor resistance and Croat forces could advance quickly.

The city of Bosansko Grahovo was a major stronghold for Serb forces in the area and offered fierce resistance. Croatian forces defeated these, however, inflicting heavy casualties. The city was captured on July 28. City of Glamoč was taken the following day.

The Operation was officially ended on July 30, at which time about 1,600 square kilometres (620 sq mi) of Bosnian territory were captured.

Aftermath

Main article: Operation Storm

As a result of the offensive, the south of the Croatian Serb territory in Croatia found itself surrounded from three sides and vulnerable.

Following the completion of the offensive, Croatian engineering units built roads over the Dinara mountains and the Bosnian border. When Operation Storm begun, two elite Croatian units, the 4th Guards Brigade and elements of the 7th Guards Brigade advanced from Bosnia towards Knin over these roads.

Following only minor resistance, the Croatian Serb army was routed. and Knin was taken on August 5, the second day of the offensive, by these forces acting from Bosnia.

Following the end of Storm, Croat units would continue the offensive in Bosnia, in Operation Mistral, from the area captured during Summer '95 northwards and would, along with Bosnian Army forces from Bihać, recapture entire western Bosnia until the signing of the Dayton Agreement and the end of the war.

References

• (Croatian) Storm info
• (Croatian) Slobodna Dalmacija news article on Storm and battles before it