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Vrhovnik (rank)

Vrhovnik
Franjo Tuđman
FranjoTudman.JPG
President of Croatia
In office
30 May 1990 – 10 December 1999
Prime Minister Stjepan Mesić (1990)
Josip Manolić (1990–91)
Franjo Gregurić (1991–92)
Hrvoje Šarinić (1992–93)
Nikica Valentić (1993–95)
Zlatko Mateša (1995–99)
Preceded by Ivo Latin (as President of the Presidency of Croatia)
Succeeded by Vlatko Pavletić (acting)
1st President of the Croatian Democratic Union
In office
17 June 1989 – 10 December 1999
Preceded by Office established
Succeeded by Vladimir Šeks (acting)
Personal details
Born (1922-05-14)14 May 1922
Veliko Trgovišće, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes
(now Croatia)
Died 10 December 1999(1999-12-10) (aged 77)
Zagreb, Croatia
Resting place Mirogoj, Zagreb, Croatia
Nationality Croat
Political party Croatian Democratic Union
Other political
affiliations
League of Communists of Yugoslavia (1942-1967)
Spouse(s) Ankica Tuđman (née Žumbar)
Children Miroslav
Stjepan
Nevenka
Alma mater Belgrade Military Academy
University of Zagreb
Profession Politician, historian, soldier
Religion Lapsed Catholic (considered atheist by some), see Relation to the Catholic Church
Signature
Website tudjman.hr
Military service
Allegiance Yugoslavia
Croatia
Service/branch Yugoslav Partisans (1942–45)
Yugoslav People's Army Ground Forces (1945–61)
Croatian Armed Forces
Years of service 1942–1961
1995–1999
Rank Major General (YPA)
Vrhovnik (HV)
Unit 10th Zagreb Corps
Battles/wars World War II in Yugoslavia
Croatian War of Independence

Franjo Tuđman (Croatian pronunciation: [frǎːɲo tûd͡ʑman]; 14 May 1922 – 10 December 1999) was a Croatian politician and historian. Following the country's independence from Yugoslavia he became the first President of Croatia and served as president from 1990 until his death.

Tuđman was born in Veliko Trgovišće, Croatia. In his youth he fought during World War II as a member of the 10th Zagreb Corps of the Yugoslav partisans. After the war he took a post in the Ministry of Defence, later attaining the rank of major general of the Yugoslav Army in 1960. After his military career he dedicated himself to the study of geopolitics. In 1963 he became a professor on the Zagreb Faculty of Political Sciences. He received a doctorate in history in 1965 and worked as a historian until coming into conflict with the regime. Tuđman participated in the Croatian Spring movement that called for reforms in the country and was imprisoned for his activities in 1972. He lived relatively anonymously in the following years until the end of communism, whereupon he began his political career by founding the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) in 1989.

HDZ won the first Croatian parliamentary elections in 1990 and Tuđman became the President of the Presidency of SR Croatia. As president, Tuđman pressed for the creation of an independent Croatia. On 19 May 1991 an independence referendum was held, which was approved by 93 percent of voters, and on 25 June 1991 Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia. Areas with a Serb majority revolted, backed by the Yugoslav army, and Tuđman led Croatia during its War of Independence. A ceasefire was signed in 1992, but the war had spread into Bosnia and Herzegovina. Tuđman faced criticism for his role in the Croat-Bosniak War that jeopardized international support for Croatia. In March 1994 he signed the Washington Agreement with Bosnian President Alija Izetbegović that re-allied Croats and Bosniaks. In 1995 he authorized a major offensive known as Operation Storm which effectively ended the war in Croatia. In the same year he was one of the signatories of the Dayton Agreement that put an end to the Bosnian War. He was re-elected president in 1992 and 1997 and remained in power until his death in 1999.


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