ABSTRACT
Croatia is a small, crescent-shaped state bordered by Hungary, Slovenia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. Its eastern boundary, considered by many to coincide with one of the major global cultural fracture zones, that between the Roman and the Orthodox churches, almost encircles Bosnia and ensures that for its size Croatia has an extensive coastline. In the spring of 1990, the first multi-party elections since World War II were won by the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) and Franjo Tudjman became president. As the most industrialised republic, Croatia shared with Serbia the power base in the former Federal Peoples Republic of Yugoslavia (FPRY). It is an irony of history that, after World War II, Croatian atrocities were highlighted and Serbia received Western support, while the position has been reversed since 1990. The Yugoslav National Army, dominated by Serbs, allied with Serb insurgents and took control of almost a third of Croatia. The UN Protection Force (UNPROFOR) was despatched and hostilities subsided.
