Defence of Ston area in Croatian War for Independence until international recognition of Croatia

Domovinski rat na širem dubrovačkom području počinje napadom višestruko brojnije JNA i ostalih srpskih i crnogorskih jedinica, organiziranih u Operativnu grupu 2 (OG-2) sa kopna, mora te iz zraka 1. listopada 1991. Obranom ovog područja rukovodi Zapovjedništvo za obranu južne Dalmacije sa sjedištem u Metkoviću. Malobrojni i slabo naoružani branitelji pružali su otpor, ali ubrzo se osvajanjem Slanog, Dubrovnik našao u okruženju, a JNA iz Slanog pokušava na 3 pravca napredovati prema Splitu: na pravcu kroz Hercegovinu zaustavljeni su bitkom kod Hutova, a na pravcima kroz Primorje i jadranskom magistralom zadnji obrambeni položaji pomaknuti su na most na Bistrini do sela Stupa, a na Stonskom dijelu na samim ulazima u mjesta Ston i Mali Ston, uspjeh obrane ovog pravca je tim veći zato jer se iz Stona vodi jedina komunikacija Dubrovnika sa vanjskim svijetom. Ovi položaji obrane uspješno su se održale sve do deblokade Dubrovnika u svibnju 1992. godine.Croatian war of Indenpendence on Dubrovnik area has started in 1. october 1991. when this area was attacked by numerous Jugoslavian people army and other serbian and montenegrian formations, which were organized in Operation group 2 (OG-2) from land, air and sea. Defense of this area was managed by Command for defence of southern Dalmatia which was placed in Metković. Croatian soldiers who were outnumbered and poorly armed have offered resistance but soon with fall od Slano Dubrovnik was surrounded. JNA from Slano trying to progresstowards Split in three directions: first direction-throught Herzegovina where they were stopped in battle of Hutovo, second direction-throught Primorje JNA moved the defensive lines at Bistrina bridge and village Stupa, third direction-throuhgt Adriatic highway, the last line of defense was set at entrance of Ston and Mali Ston. The success of the defense of this area was as greater as Ston was only comunication of Dubrovnik with the outside world. This line of defense were successfully maintained until the croatian counter attack in may 1992