THE BATTLE FOR THE BARRACKS AND ARMS IN OSIJEK IN 1991

Obrana Osijeka predstavlja jednu od epizoda u obrani istočne Hrvatske 1991. godine. Članak govori o borbama za vojarne i vojne objekte te naoružanje JNA na području Osijeka i okolice u rujnu 1991. Osvajanje vojarni, tzv. „bitka za vojarne”, odnosno „bitka za oružje”, jedan je od ključnih događaja u obrani grada Osijeka, ali i Republike Hrvatske. Hrvatske su snage u tim borbama postigle znatan uspjeh zaposjevši naoružanje Osječke partizanske brigade Teritorijalne obrane i prisilivši 12. proletersku mehaniziranu brigadu JNA na odlazak iz grada i iz svih vojnih objekata. Ta su postignuća presudno djelovala na daljnji tijek obrane grada omogućivši hrvatskim snagama dodatno učvršćenje crte njegove obrane, a time i ostanak Osijeka na neokupiranom dijelu hrvatskoga teritorija za vrijeme Domovinskog rata.The defence of Osijek is one of the episodes in the defence of eastern Croatia during 1991. The paper investigates capturing of the barracks, military facilities and arms of the JNA in Osijek and its near vicinity in September 1991. Capturing the barracks (also called the “battle for the barracks”) is one of the key events in the defence of the city of Osijek but also of the Republic of Croatia. Not only that 12th Proletarian Mechanized Brigade of the JNA (JNA 12th Corps) was forced to leave the city and all these objects, but Croatian forces won all the weapons of the Osijek Partisan Brigade of the Territorial Defence. The success of the blockade and the attack on the barracks and military facilities and capturing the arms in Osijek played a decisive role in the further defence of Osijek: it enabled further consolidation of the defensive line of the city which proved to be crucial for the overall defence of Osijek and its remaining in the unoccupied parts of Croatia during the 1991–1995 Homeland War