Operation Storm was the last major battle of the Croatian War of Independence and a major factor in the outcome of the Bosnian War. It was a decisive victory for the Croatian Army (HV), which attacked across a 630-kilometre (390 mi) front against the self-declared proto-state Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK), and a strategic victory for the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH). The HV was supported by the Croatian special police advancing from the Velebit Mountain, and the ARBiH located in the Bihać pocket, in the Army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina's (ARSK) rear. The battle, launched to restore Croatian control of 10,400 square kilometres of territory, representing 18.4% of the territory it claimed, and Bosnian control of Western Bosnia, was the largest European land battle since the Second World War. Operation Storm commenced at dawn on 4 August 1995 and was declared complete on the evening of 7 August, despite significant mopping-up operations against pockets of resistance lasting until 14 August.
The Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (AFEM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces, which was first created in 1961 by Executive Order of President John Kennedy. The medal is awarded to members of the U.S. Armed Forces who, after July 1, 1958, participated in U.S. military operations, U.S. operations in direct support of the United Nations, or U.S. operations of assistance for friendly foreign nations.
The Kosovo Campaign Medal (KCM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces established by Executive Order 13154 of President Bill Clinton on May 3, 2000. The medal recognizes military service performed in Kosovo from March 24, 1999 through December 31, 2013.
Operation Flash was a brief Croatian Army (HV) offensive conducted against the forces of the self-declared proto-state Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK) from 1–3 May 1995. The offensive occurred in the later stages of the Croatian War of Independence and was the first major confrontation after ceasefire and economic cooperation agreements were signed between Croatia and the RSK in 1994. The last organised RSK resistance formally ceased on 3 May, with the majority of troops surrendering the next day near Pakrac, although mop-up operations continued for another two weeks.
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between Croat forces loyal to the Government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (SFRY)—and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat operations in Croatia by 1992. In Croatia, the war is primarily referred to as the "Homeland War" and also as the "Greater-Serbian Aggression". In Serbian sources, "War in Croatia" and (rarely) "War in Krajina" are used.
The system of honours of the Republic of Croatia was established after the independence of Croatia in 1991. There are nineteen main decorations conferred since 2019, in addition to several other medals and awards.
Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and the Day of Croatian Defenders is a public holiday in Croatia that is celebrated annually on 5 August, commemorating the Croatian War of Independence. On that date in 1995 the Croatian Army took the city of Knin during Operation Storm, which effectively brought an end to Republic of Serbian Krajina proto-state. In 2008, the Croatian Parliament also assigned the name Day of Croatian Defenders to the holiday, which honors the current service members and veterans of the Republic of Croatia Armed Forces.
The Krka Monastery is a Serbian Orthodox monastery dedicated to the Archangel Michael, located near the river Krka, 3 km east of Kistanje, in central Dalmatia, Croatia. It is the best known monastery of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Croatia and it is officially protected as part of the Krka National Park.
The Wound Medal was a decoration of the Empire of Austria-Hungary. It was established on August 12, 1917 by Emperor Karl and was the last medal to be officially founded in the empire.
Gideon Greif is an Israeli historian who specializes in the history of the Holocaust, especially the history of the Auschwitz concentration camp and particularly the Sonderkommando in Auschwitz. He served as a visiting lecturer for Jewish and Israeli History at the Schusterman Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Texas at Austin during the academic year 2011–2012.
Zvonimir Červenko was a Croatian general and the chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia from 1995 to 1996.
Drago Lovrić is a Croatian general who served as a chief of General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.
The Split Agreement or Split Declaration was a mutual defence agreement between Croatia, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, signed in Split, Croatia on 22 July 1995. It called on the Croatian Army (HV) to intervene militarily in Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily in relieving the siege of Bihać.
Željko Reiner is a Croatian physician, politician, university professor, member of the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and former Minister of Health and Social Welfare who served as the 10th Speaker of the Croatian Parliament since independence and the 20th speaker overall, from December 2015 until October 2016.
Dino Belosević is Croatian kickboxer, W.A.K.O. amateur champion of the world in 2011.
Ćamila "Ćana" Mičijević is a Croatian handball player for Metz Handball and the Croatian national team.
Nenad Šoštarić is a Croatian retired handball player and current coach of both, RK Lokomotiva Zagreb and the Croatian women's national team.
There are 15 orders and 7 medals in the system of awards in Republika Srpska
The Medal for Participation in Operation Flash is a medal awarded by the Republic of Croatia for participation in Operation Flash. The medal was founded on April 1, 1995.
The Medal for Participation in Operation Summer '95 is a medal awarded by the Republic of Croatia for participation in Operation Summer '95. The medal was founded on April 1, 1995.
Republic of Croatia 
