CONTRARY to the assertion of your correspondent, Mira Buljan, (South China Morning Post, September 12, 'Serbs' rampage has perpetuated war') Yugoslavia was not always a federation of six republics. From its formation in 1918, until the German invasion in 1941, Yugoslavia was a constitutional monarchy with the King of Serbia as its head of state. It was only after Tito (himself a Croat) and his communists assumed power in 1945, that the country was divided into separate 'people's' republics.
During the German occupation, Croatia existed as an independent Nazi puppet state, which included Bosnia-Hercegovina.
The Dalmatian region was placed under Italian control. It was during this period that the Croatian genocide against the Serbs was committed, in which hundreds of thousands were murdered by the 'Ustache' fascists.
Present day Croatia was formed by amalgamating Croatia proper, with the regions of Dalmatia, Slavonia, and Krajina. Tito's aim in creating this republic was to limit the influence of Serbia in his new Yugoslavia. The establishment of the republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina as a 'mini' Yugoslavia comprising Serbs, Croats and Muslims had the same objective. This juggling with borders was to lead to the catastrophic consequences we see today.
Krajina is not some recent Serb invention. It was formerly part of the military frontier between Austro-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire. Serbs had settled there from the 14th century onwards, forced west by the invading Turks. In return for land and other privileges, they were required to provide military service, and defend the Christian state. Krajina was under Austrian administration, while Croatia was one of Hungary's provinces. The Serbs of Krajina were known as 'Grenzer' and had a formidable military reputation throughout Europe.
As for Tudjman, the Krajina Serbs chose to judge him by his deeds rather than his words. The Serb minority in Tudjman's Croatia suffered badly, being reduced to the status of second-class citizens. The United Nations is reporting now the killing of Serbs who stayed behind following the Croatian Krajina offensive, and the widespread destruction of Serb homes. The irony is that an 'ethnically pure' Greater Croatia, rather than a Greater Serbia, is now being established.