I’d start with the inescapable symbolism of the city. The Communist party of Yugoslavia which later ruled the union, was formed in Vukovar in 1919. A police unit that was ambushed when that ideology started to crumble, thus sparking an all out war (a well prepared one) was sent from Vukovar.

Vukovar’s tragic story is both the requiem and the prediction of the future in the region fooled by the failed ideology which paved the way for the most backward chauvinism that has long become mainstream in the region.

How did we get here?

Vukovar was charming, proud multiethnic community that thrived under its Borovo and Vuteks factories. However, it all started to go downhill after the crisis led to factories being closed down and income ceasing. Rising nationalism among (soon to be ex) Yugoslav republics, in Serbia and Croatia in particular (with Bosnia intensifying its religious extremism) contributed to the distrust and division between ethnicities, often intertwined in mixed marriage Vukovar was famous for. At first, however, they were somewhat light hearted...seemingly.

Such distrust was purposefully intensified by Serbs (those in Serbia - representing Federation of Yugoslavia and Croat Serbs living as minority in Croatia) and Croats alike. Former intended to ignite the fear among Croat Serbs by constantly feeding them with relentless propaganda in fiery speeches about Nazi resurrection and impending doom (Croatia was a Nazi puppet state committing heinous crimes against Serbs, Roma, Jews etc. in WWII) deliberately sending warmongering right wingers who spread xenophobia and amplifying sense of endangerment, successfully brainwashing them into arming themselves. The intention was to make Croat Serbs sabotage intended Croat independence by making c. 30% of the Croat territory (counter) secede from Croatia in the same way Croatia did from Yugoslavia – something which the Federal Government found to be an unconstitutional act of separatism.

On the other hand, right wing Croat president - dreaming about ethnically clean, Serb-free, Croatia- and his party HDZ did everything they could to justify Serb fear, starting from writing a new constitution which stripped Serbs off their previous (equal) position and rights, deliberately flirting with Nazi past, employing ultra right wing rhetoric, forming black clad armed forces with very purposeful Nazi (Ustashe) imagery and slogans, murdering anti war Croats and using extreme wing of his political party to harass Serbs.

Finally, Croats were illegally arming themselves from abroad during this entire period, forming ‘reserve’ units of Croat police, hellbent on dealing with the ‘Serb issue’ - by war. War is what Croat right wingers wanted, as explicitly stated by both Croat president and some of his future ministers. ‘’We are already at war ...with the Federal Army’’ (months before its outbreak) was an infamous intercepted claim by Croat defense minister and ex JNA general.

At the same time, Serbia supplied weapons to Croat Serbs, equally illegally, with aid of some Federal Army officers and secret service controlled paramilitary units, making sure they are both willing and able to rebel against newly independent Croat state. Serbs were easily convinced.

Both sides eagerly wanted armed conflict but both tried to play their cards carefully in order to make the other side make a mistake and look like aggressor in front of the international community, with neither qualifying well enough for the much wanted victim card.

Everything blew up when Croat Serbs put up blockades on the roads to their territories denying obedience to Croat institutions in Serb majority towns, allowing Serb paramilitary units and right wing leaders in, establishing some kind of temporary governing bodies. Tensions were increased when Croat right winger extremist (soon to be the first minister of defense in independent Croatia) organised a brief RPG attack on Borovo Selo town, next to Vukovar, mostly populated by ethnic Serbs. No one was injured (and was probably not even supposed to). It was a provocation to intensify the hostilities and speed up the start of the war.

Soon, Croat police officers attempted to reaffirm their authority in these areas by replacing a federal flag of Yugoslavia with a Croat flag in aforementioned Borovo Selo. Initial attempt ended with two Croat police officers captured. Insulted Croat government sent a sizable police force to deal with it and free the captured men on May 2nd 1991. Civilians from mostly Serb populated village claim young and nervous Croat police officers went in guns blazing while policemen claimed it was an ambush. It was likely both. Twelve Croat police officers were killed with dozens wounded. Federal Army had to intervene to stop further bloodshed and was welcome by all for doing so. Almost all, since some accused it of undermining Croat authority. Federal army or JNA was still fairly neutral in the conflict though .

Croat president Tudjman immediately used the situation to de facto declare war on Serbia/Yugoslavia and call his people to arms ‘’in defense of freedom and the sovereignty of Croatia’’. Not being able to form an official military he formed a ‘’National guard’’ with the same function. Needless to say, he used the incident to its full warmongering potential. Consequently, Serbs become openly targeted across Croatia, businesses and houses bombed. Radio Vukovar a local radio station is ceased by Croat police and Serb employees expelled. One of several such cases. Despite fighting a loosing battle Josip Reihl Kir ‘the voice of reason’, a peacekeeping Croat police Chief was assassinated by extreme wing of Croat nationalist party. Many Serbs flee from Vukovar area. Later, after destruction of Vukovar, they were accused by former Croat neighbours of not warning them of whatever they were fleeing from. In reality, Serbs were likely fleeing from Croat onslaught, but the events that soon unfolded made their Croat (ex)friends forever resentful.

In a confusing period of a couple of months, Tomislav Mercep known as the Vukovar’s Napoleon, established himself as the warlord in the city of Vukovar and installed a certain para government rule. Issuing permits for free movement around the city. People started ‘’disappearing’’, he demanded from citizens to just ‘’point out the suspicious ones’’ i.e. Serbs and disobedient Croats, that would then be ‘’taken away’’. Fear spread among Vukovar citizens. Clashes among Croat and Serb militia and various paramilitary forces begin to intensify...

END OF PART ONE