The Yugoslav People's Army: its military and political mission

Abstract

The Yugoslav People' s Army is a function of the defense needs of a medium size state and the political needs of a communist regime attempting to unite a multiethnic society. This study examines four areas of the Yugoslav military system. It examines the factors which have influenced the development of the "total national defense" concept which Yugoslavia is using to integrate its citizenry into the active defense of the country. It examines the relationship between the operational army and the territorial defense units, the major components of total national defense. It examines the political role of the army in support of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia. And, it examines the Yugoslav arms industry as influenced by defense needs, economic realities, and foreign policy. The army leadership recognizes that their most important task is the preservation of the Yugoslav state and they have made a commitment to support the post-Tito efforts to maintain a stable government.