Yugoslav People’s Army
Quick Summary
The Yugoslav People's Army (YPA) was the armed force of Yugoslavia, established on March 1, 1945, from the Partisan guerrilla force led by the Communist Party during World War II. Under Josip Broz Tito, the Partisans fought against Axis powers and their collaborators. The YPA's strategy of "Total National Defense" during the Cold War included supplementing the army with Territorial Defense Forces. Following Yugoslavia's disintegration in 1991-92, these militias became the basis for the armed forces of the newly independent republics, often in conflict with the YPA. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the YPA served as a major military producer and storehouse for armaments, which were later appropriated by Bosnian Serb forces. The army was eventually unified in 2003, though policing remains decentralized.12
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