Ministry of Defence (Yugoslavia)

Coordinates: 44°48′20″N 20°27′40″E / 44.80556°N 20.46111°E / 44.80556; 20.46111
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Ministry of Defence
Serbo-Croatian: Ministarstvo odbrane/Министарство одбране
Slovene: Ministrstvo za obrambo
Macedonian: Министерство за одбрана
Standard of the Minister of Defence (1995–2006)

The Yugoslav Ministry of Defence building (damaged in the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia)
Ministry overview
Formed1 December 1918; 105 years ago (1918-12-01)
Dissolved4 June 2006; 17 years ago (2006-06-04)
JurisdictionYugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro
HeadquartersYugoslav Ministry of Defence building, Belgrade (1965–99)
44°48′20″N 20°27′40″E / 44.80556°N 20.46111°E / 44.80556; 20.46111
Ministers responsible
Parent departmentFederal Executive Council (1953–92)

Through the history of Yugoslavia, the defence ministry which was responsible for defence of the country was known under several different names. The Ministry of the Army and Navy[a] was responsible for defence of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia from 1918 to 1941, the Federal Secretariat of People's Defence[b] for the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1945 to 1992 and the Ministry of Defence for Serbia and Montenegro (officially named the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1992 and 2003) from 1992 to 2006.

List of ministers[edit]

† denotes people who died in office.

Kingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1941)[edit]

Minister of the Army
No. Portrait Minister of the Army Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Mihailo Rašić
Rašić, MihailoGeneral
Mihailo Rašić
(1858–1932)
[c]
1 December 191820 December 191819 daysIndependent Royal Army
Minister of the Army and Navy
No. Portrait Minister of the Army and Navy Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Mihailo Rašić
Rašić, MihailoGeneral
Mihailo Rašić
(1858–1932)
20 December 191830 March 1919100 daysIndependent Royal Army
2
Stevan Hadžić
Hadžić, StevanGeneral
Stevan Hadžić
(1868–1931)
30 March 191919 February 1920326 daysIndependent Royal Army
3
Branko Jovanović
Jovanović, BrankoGeneral
Branko Jovanović
(1868–1921)
19 February 192026 March 1921 †1 year, 35 daysIndependent Royal Army
Milorad Drašković
Drašković, MiloradMilorad Drašković
(1873–1921)
Acting
Minister of the Interior
27 March 192124 May 192158 daysDSnone
(2)
Stevan Hadžić
Hadžić, StevanGeneral
Stevan Hadžić
(1868–1931)
24 May 192120 July 192157 daysIndependent Royal Army
4
Milivoje Zečević
Zečević, MilivojeGeneral
Milivoje Zečević
(1872–1946)
20 July 19213 January 1922167 daysIndependent Royal Army
5
Miloš Vasić
Vasić, MilošGeneral
Miloš Vasić
(1859–1935)
5 January 19224 November 1922303 daysIndependent Royal Army
6
Petar Pešić
Pešić, PetarGeneral
(when appointed)
Army general
(since 1923)
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)
4 November 192227 July 19241 year, 266 daysIndependent Royal Army
(2)
Stevan Hadžić
Hadžić, StevanArmy general
Stevan Hadžić
(1868–1931)
27 July 19246 November 1924102 daysIndependent Royal Army
7
Dušan Trifunović
Trifunović, DušanDivisional general
Dušan Trifunović
(1880–1942)
6 November 192424 December 19262 years, 48 daysIndependent Royal Army
(2)
Stevan Hadžić
Hadžić, StevanArmy general
Stevan Hadžić
(1868–1931)
24 December 192623 April 1931 †4 years, 120 daysIndependent Royal Army
8
Dragomir Stojanović
Stojanović, DragomirArmy general
Dragomir Stojanović
(1878–1943)
24 April 193118 April 19342 years, 359 daysIndependent Royal Army
9
Milan Milovanović
Milovanović, MilanArmy general
Milan Milovanović
(1874–1942)
18 April 193422 October 1934187 daysIndependent Royal Army
10
Petar Živković
Živković, PetarArmy general
Petar Živković
(1879–1947)
22 October 19347 March 19361 year, 137 daysIndependent Royal Army
11
Ljubomir Marić
Marić, LjubomirArmy general
Ljubomir Marić
(1878–1960)
8 March 193625 August 19382 years, 170 daysIndependent Royal Army
12
Milutin Nedić
Nedić, MilutinArmy general
Milutin Nedić
(1882–1945)
25 August 193826 August 19391 year, 1 dayIndependent Royal Army
13
Milan Nedić
Nedić, MilanArmy general
Milan Nedić
(1877–1946)
[d]
26 August 19396 November 19401 year, 72 daysIndependent Royal Army
(6)
Petar Pešić
Pešić, PetarArmy general
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)
[e]
6 November 194027 March 1941141 daysIndependent Royal Army
14
Bogoljub Ilić
Ilić, BogoljubArmy general
Bogoljub Ilić
(1881–1953)
27 March 194118 April 194122 daysIndependent Royal Army

Yugoslav government-in-exile (1941–1945)[edit]

Minister of the Army and Navy
No. Portrait Minister of the Army and Navy Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Bogoljub Ilić
Ilić, BogoljubArmy general
Bogoljub Ilić
(1881–1953)
[f]
18 April 194121 August 1941125 daysIndependent Royal Army
Minister of the Army
No. Portrait Minister of the Army Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Bogoljub Ilić
Ilić, BogoljubArmy general
Bogoljub Ilić
(1881–1953)
21 August 194111 January 1942143 daysIndependent Royal Army
2
Dragoljub Mihailović
Mihailović, DragoljubBrigadier general
Dragoljub Mihailović
(1893–1946)
[g]
11 January 194214 January 19423 daysIndependent JVuO
Minister of the Air Force and Navy
No. Portrait Minister of the Air Force and Navy Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Dušan Simović
Simović, DušanArmy general
Dušan Simović
(1882–1962)
21 August 194111 January 1942153 daysIndependent Royal Air Force
2
Dragoljub Mihailović
Mihailović, DragoljubBrigadier general
Dragoljub Mihailović
(1893–1946)
[h]
11 January 194214 January 19423 daysIndependent JVuO
Minister of the Army, Navy and Air Force
No. Portrait Minister of the Army, Navy and Air Force Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Dragoljub Mihailović
Mihailović, DragoljubBrigadier general
(when appointed)
Divisional general
(since 19 January 1942)
Army general
(since 17 June 1942)
Dragoljub Mihailović
(1893–1946)
[i]
14 January 19421 July 19442 years, 169 daysIndependent JVuO
Ivan Šubašić
Šubašić, IvanIvan Šubašić
(1892–1955)
Acting
1 July 194411 September 194472 daysHSSnone
2
Borisav Ristić
Ristić, BorisavDivisional general
Borisav Ristić
(1883–1967)
11 September 194426 January 1945137 daysIndependent JVvO
Ivan Šubašić
Šubašić, IvanIvan Šubašić
(1892–1955)
Acting
26 January 19457 March 194540 daysHSSnone

National Committee for the Liberation of Yugoslavia (1943–1945)[edit]

No. Portrait Commissioner for Defence Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Josip Broz Tito
Tito, Josip BrozMarshal of Yugoslavia
Josip Broz Tito
(1892–1980)
29 November 19437 March 19451 year, 98 daysSKJ NOV i POJ

SFR Yugoslavia (1945–1992)[edit]

The Federal Secretary of People's Defence of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian, Croatian, Serbian, Macedonian: Savezni sekretar za narodnu odbranu SFRJ, Cyrillic: Савезни секретар за народну одбрану СФРЈ) was that country's defence minister during its existence from 1945 to 1992. He was the head of the Federal Secretariat of People's Defence (Savezni sekretarijat za narodnu odbranu - SSNO) and it was the most effective military person, while the Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav People's Army (which was the formational part of SSNO) was the most professional and staff body.

It was the part of the Federal Executive Council (Federal Government).

No. Portrait Federal Secretary of People's Defence Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Josip Broz Tito
Tito, Josip BrozMarshal of Yugoslavia
Josip Broz Tito
(1892–1980)
[j]
7 March 194514 January 19537 years, 313 daysSKJ Ground Forces
2
Ivan Gošnjak
Gošnjak, IvanGeneral of the Army
Ivan Gošnjak
(1909–1980)
[k]
14 January 195318 May 196714 years, 124 daysSKJ Ground Forces
3
Nikola Ljubičić
Ljubičić, NikolaGeneral of the Army
Nikola Ljubičić
(1916–2005)
[l]
18 May 19675 May 198214 years, 352 daysSKJ Ground Forces
4
Branko Mamula
Mamula, BrankoAdmiral
(when appointed)
Admiral of the Fleet
(since 1983)
Branko Mamula
(1921–2021)
[m]
5 May 198215 May 19886 years, 10 daysSKJ Navy
5
Veljko Kadijević
Kadijević, VeljkoGeneral of the Army
Veljko Kadijević
(1925–2014)
15 May 19888 January 19923 years, 235 daysSKJ Ground Forces
Blagoje Adžić
Adžić, BlagojeColonel general
Blagoje Adžić
(1932–2012)
Acting
8 January 199227 February 199250 daysIndependent Ground Forces
Života Panić
Panić, ŽivotaColonel general
Života Panić
(1933–2003)
Acting
27 February 199220 May 199283 daysIndependent Ground Forces

Timeline[edit]

Života PanićBlagoje AdžićVeljko KadijevićBranko MamulaNikola LjubičićIvan GošnjakJosip Broz Tito

FR Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006)[edit]

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 Minister of Defence Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
1
Milan Panić
Panić, MilanMilan Panić
(born 1929)
14 July 19922 March 1993231 daysIndependentnone
2
Pavle Bulatović
Bulatović, PavlePavle Bulatović
(1948–2000)
2 March 19937 February 2000 †6 years, 342 daysDPS
SNP
none
3
Dragoljub Ojdanić
Ojdanić, DragoljubGeneral of the Army
Dragoljub Ojdanić
(1941–2020)
[n]
15 February 20004 November 2000263 daysIndependent Ground Forces
4
Slobodan Krapović
Krapović, SlobodanSlobodan Krapović
(born 1948)
4 November 200029 January 20021 year, 86 daysSNPnone
5
Velimir Radojević
Radojević, VelimirVelimir Radojević
(born 1956)
29 January 200217 March 20031 year, 47 daysSNPnone
6
Boris Tadić
Tadić, BorisBoris Tadić
(born 1958)
[o]
17 March 200316 April 20041 year, 30 daysDSnone
7
Prvoslav Davinić [sr]
Davinić, PrvoslavPrvoslav Davinić [sr]
(born 1938)
16 April 200421 October 20051 year, 188 daysG17+none
8
Zoran Stanković
Stanković, ZoranMajor general of the Sanitation (Ret'd)
Zoran Stanković
(1954–2021)
21 October 20054 June 2006226 daysIndependent Ground Forces
(Ret'd)

Standards[edit]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Serbo-Croatian: Ministarstvo vojske i mornarice / Министарство војске и морнарице
  2. ^ Serbo-Croatian: Savezni sekretarijat za narodnu odbranu / Савезни секретаријат за народну одбрану, SSNO
  3. ^ Previously served as Minister of the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia.
  4. ^ Brother of Milutin Nedić. Later served as the Prime Minister of the Government of National Salvation from 1941 to 1944.
  5. ^ Removed from office in the Yugoslav coup d'état.
  6. ^ Ministry split into two, Ministry of the Army and Ministry of the Air Force and Navy.
  7. ^ Ministry joined with Ministry of the Air Force and Navy.
  8. ^ Ministry joined with Ministry of the Army.
  9. ^ Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command of the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland from 10 June 1942.
    Until 1 July 1944, on behalf of Mihailović and due to his absence, designated representatives (Slobodan Jovanović, Petar Živković and Božidar Purić) implemented decisions of the government.
  10. ^ Prime Minister of Yugoslavia from 1943 to 1963. President of Yugoslavia from 1953 to 1980.
  11. ^ Considered for promotion to rank General (YPA) in 1955.
  12. ^ Afterwards served as the President of the Presidency of SR Serbia from 1982 to 1984, and as a member of the Presidency of Yugoslavia for SR Serbia from 1984 to 1989.
  13. ^ Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff from 1979 to 1982.
  14. ^ Previously served as the Chief of the General Staff from 1998 to 2000.
  15. ^ Afterwards served as the President of Serbia from 2004 to 2012.

External links[edit]