Chief of the General Staff (Yugoslavia)
The Chief of the General Staff of Yugoslavia refers of the chief of the General Staff of the Royal Yugoslav Army from 1918 to 1941, the Yugoslav People's Army from 1945 to 1992 and the Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro (officially named the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia between 1992 and 2003) from 1992 to 2006.
Chief of the General Staff
Serbo-Croatian: Načelnik Generalštaba/Начелник Генералштаба Slovene: Načelnik Generalštaba Macedonian: Началник на Генералштабот | |
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Standard of the Chief of the General Staff (1995–2003) | |
Colonel General Stane Potočar 15 October 1972 – 10 July 1979 | |
Type | Chief of staff |
Abbreviation | NGŠ |
Member of | General Staff |
Reports to | Minister of Defence of Yugoslavia |
Seat | Yugoslav Ministry of Defence building, Belgrade (1965–1999) |
Appointer | Head of state of Yugoslavia (1918–1992) President of Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006) |
Term length | No fixed length |
Precursor | Chief of the Serbian General Staff |
Formation | 1 December 1918 |
First holder | Vojvoda Živojin Mišić |
Final holder | Lieutenant General Ljubiša Jokić |
Abolished | 3 June 2006 |
Deputy | Deputy Chief of the General Staff |
List of chiefs of the general staff
† denotes people who died in office.
Royal Yugoslav Army (1918–1920)
No. | Portrait | Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vojvoda Živojin Mišić (1855–1921) [lower-alpha 1] | 1 December 1918 | 5 May 1920 | 1 year, 156 days | Royal Army |
Royal Yugoslav Armed Forces (1920–1941)
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Vojvoda Živojin Mišić (1855–1921) | 5 May 1920 | 20 January 1921 † | 260 days | Royal Army | |
– | Petar Pešić (1871–1944) Acting | General21 January 1921 | 10 March 1921 | 48 days | Royal Army | |
2 | Vojvoda Petar Bojović (1858–1945) | 10 March 1921 | 8 December 1921 | 273 days | Royal Army | |
3 | Petar Pešić (1871–1944) | General8 December 1921 | 4 November 1922 | 331 days | Royal Army | |
– | (when appointed) Divisional general (since 1923) Milan Ž. Milovanović (1874–1942) Acting | General4 November 1922 | 30 July 1924 | 1 year, 269 days | Royal Army | |
(3) | Army general Petar Pešić (1871–1944) | 30 July 1924 | 11 April 1929 | 4 years, 255 days | Royal Army | |
4 | Army general Milan Ž. Milovanović (1874–1942) | 11 April 1929 | 18 April 1934 | 5 years, 7 days | Royal Army | |
– | Divisional general Petar Kosić (1881–1949) Acting | 18 April 1934 | 1 June 1934 | 44 days | Royal Army | |
5 | Army general Milan Nedić (1877–1946) [lower-alpha 2] | 1 June 1934 | 9 March 1935 | 281 days | Royal Army | |
– | Divisional general Petar Kosić (1881–1949) Acting | 10 March 1935 | 12 May 1935 | 63 days | Royal Army | |
6 | Army general Ljubomir Marić (1878–1960) | 12 May 1935 | 8 March 1936 | 301 days | Royal Army | |
– | Divisional general Petar Kosić (1881–1949) Acting | 8 March 1936 | 6 September 1936 | 182 days | Royal Army | |
– | Divisional general Milutin Nedić (1882–1945) Acting [lower-alpha 3] | 6 September 1936 | 6 September 1937 | 1 year, 0 days | Royal Army | |
7 | Army general Milutin Nedić (1882–1945) [lower-alpha 3] | 6 September 1937 | 25 August 1938 | 353 days | Royal Army | |
– | Divisional general Mihailo Bodi (1884–1953) Acting | 25 August 1938 | 15 September 1938 | 21 days | Royal Army | |
8 | Army general Dušan Simović (1882–1962) | 15 September 1938 | 3 January 1940 | 1 year, 110 days | Royal Army Air Force | |
9 | Army general Petar Kosić (1881–1949) [lower-alpha 4] | 3 January 1940 | 27 March 1941 | 1 year, 83 days | Royal Army | |
(8) | Army general Dušan Simović (1882–1962) | 27 March 1941 | 14 April 1941 | 18 days | Royal Army Air Force | |
– | Army general Danilo Kalafatović (1875–1946) Acting | 15 April 1941 | 17 April 1941 | 2 days | Royal Army |
Yugoslav Army outside the Homeland (1941–1942)
No. | Portrait | Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Miodrag Lozić | Lieutenant Colonel1941 | 1942 | 0–1 years | JVvO |
Yugoslav Army in the Homeland (1942–1945)
No. | Portrait | Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dragoljub Mihailović (1893–1946) | Army General1942 | 1944 | 1–2 years | JVuO | |
2 | Miodrag Damnjanović (1893–1956) | Brigadier General1944 | 1945 | 0–1 years | JVuO |
National Liberation Army (1941–1945)
No. | Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | Marshal of Yugoslavia Josip Broz Tito (1892–1980) Commander of the Supreme Headquarters and Commander-in-Chief | 27 June 1941 | 1 March 1945 | 3 years, 247 days | SKJ | NOV i POJ | |
N/A | Arso Jovanović (1907–1948) Chief of the Supreme Headquarters | Lieutenant General12 December 1941 | 1 March 1945 | 3 years, 79 days | SKJ | NOV i POJ |
Yugoslav People's Army (1945–1992)
The Chief of the General Staff (Serbo-Croatian: Načelnik Generalštaba - NGŠ; Начелник Генералштаба - НГШ; Macedonian: Началник на Генералштабот; Slovene: Načelnik Generalštaba) was the chief of staff of the General Staff of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) during its existence from 1945 to 1992. He was appointed by the President of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, who was the commander-in-chief. While the Federal Secretary of People's Defence (defence minister) headed the Federal Secretariat of People's Defence (Savezni sekretarijat za narodnu odbranu - SSNO) and it was the most effective military person, the Chief of the General Staff (which was the formational part of SSNO) was the most professional and staff body.
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Arso Jovanović (1907–1948) [lower-alpha 5] | Colonel General1 March 1945 | 15 September 1945 | 198 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
2 | Koča Popović (1908–1992) [lower-alpha 6] | Colonel General15 September 1945 | 27 January 1953 | 4 years, 134 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
3 | Peko Dapčević (1913–1999) | Colonel General27 January 1953 | 29 April 1955 | 2 years, 92 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
4 | Ljubo Vučković (1915–1976) | Colonel General29 April 1955 | 16 June 1961 | 6 years, 48 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
5 | Rade Hamović (1916–2009) | Colonel General16 June 1961 | 15 June 1967 | 5 years, 364 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
6 | Miloš Šumonja (1918–2006) | Colonel General15 June 1967 | 5 January 1970 | 2 years, 204 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
7 | Viktor Bubanj (1918–1972) | Colonel General5 January 1970 | 15 October 1972 † | 2 years, 284 days | SKJ | Air Force | |
8 | Stane Potočar (1919–1997) | Colonel General15 October 1972 | 10 July 1979 | 6 years, 268 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
9 | Branko Mamula (born 1921) [lower-alpha 7] | Admiral10 July 1979 | 5 May 1982 | 2 years, 299 days | SKJ | Navy | |
10 | Petar Gračanin (1923–2004) [lower-alpha 8] | Colonel General5 May 1982 | 1 September 1985 | 3 years, 119 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
11 | Zorko Čanadi (1925–2003) | Colonel General1 September 1985 | 15 September 1987 | 2 years, 14 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
12 | Stevan Mirković (1927–2015) | Colonel General15 September 1987 | 29 September 1989 | 2 years, 14 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
13 | Blagoje Adžić (1932–2012) | Colonel General29 September 1989 | 27 February 1992 | 2 years, 151 days | SKJ | Ground Forces | |
14 | Života Panić (1933–2003) [lower-alpha 9] | Colonel General27 February 1992 | 20 May 1992 | 83 days | Independent | Ground Forces |
Armed Forces of Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006)
Following the breakup of Yugoslavia and the secession of four out of six constituent republic in the SFR Yugoslavia the remaining two (Serbia and Montenegro) established a federation in 1992 called the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FR Yugoslavia). This lasted until 2003 when it was reconstituted as a state union called Serbia and Montenegro. In 2006 both countries declared independence and parted ways.
No. | Portrait | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Života Panić (1933–2003) [lower-alpha 10] | Colonel General20 May 1992 | 26 August 1993 | 1 year, 98 days | Ground Forces | |
2 | Momčilo Perišić (born 1944) | Colonel General26 August 1993 | 26 November 1998 | 5 years, 92 days | Ground Forces | |
3 | Dragoljub Ojdanić (born 1941) [lower-alpha 11] | Colonel General26 November 1998 | 7 February 2000 | 1 year, 73 days | Ground Forces | |
4 | Nebojša Pavković (born 1946) | Colonel General7 February 2000 | 24 June 2002 | 2 years, 137 days | Ground Forces | |
5 | Branko Krga (born 1945) [lower-alpha 12] | Colonel General24 June 2002 | 23 December 2004 | 2 years, 182 days | Ground Forces | |
6 | Dragan Paskaš (born 1951) | Lieutenant General23 December 2004 | 6 October 2005 | 287 days | Ground Forces | |
7 | Ljubiša Jokić (born 1958) | Lieutenant General6 October 2005 | 3 June 2006 | 240 days | Air Force |
See also
- Chiefs of Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia
- Chief of the General Staff (North Macedonia)
- Chief of the General Staff (Montenegro)
- Chief of the Serbian General Staff
- Chief of the General Staff (Slovenia)
- Commander of Kosovo Security Force
Notes
- Previously served as Chief of the Serbian General Staff.
- Later served as the Prime Minister of the Government of National Salvation from 1941 to 1944.
- Brother of Milan Nedić.
- Removed from office in the Yugoslav coup d'état.
- Killed by border guards while allegedly trying to escape to Romania during the Informbiro.
- Afterwards served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1953 to 1965.
- Afterwards served as the Minister of Defence from 1982 to 1988.
- Later served as the President of the Presidency of SR Serbia from 1987 to 1989.
- Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia from 20 May 1992.
- Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav People's Army until 20 May 1992.
- Afterwards served as the Minister of Defence in 2000.
- Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro since 7 March 2003.
Sources
- Chief of the General Staff: 1876–2000, Ivetić Velimir, Belgrade 2000.