Martin Špegelj
Martin Špegelj | |
|---|---|
Martin Špegelj 2011 | |
| 2nd Minister of Defence of Croatia | |
| In office 24 August 1990 – 2 July 1991 | |
| President | Franjo Tuđman |
| Prime Minister | Stjepan Mesić Josip Manolić |
| Preceded by | Petar Kriste |
| Succeeded by | Šime Đodan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 11 November 1927 Pitomača, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (now Croatia) |
| Died | 11 May 2014 (aged 86) Zagreb, Croatia |
| Political party | League of Communists of Yugoslavia (until 1990) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Yugoslav Partisans (1941–1945) Yugoslavia (1945–1989) Croatia (1990–1992) |
| Branch/service | Yugoslav Ground Forces Croatian Armed Forces |
| Years of service | 1941–1989 1990–1992 |
| Rank | Colonel General (JNA) General of the Army (HV) |
| Commands | Commander of 5th Army District JNA Croatian Defence Minister Chief of General Staff HV |
| Battles/wars | World War II Croatian War of Independence |
Martin Špegelj (11 November 1927 – 11 May 2014) was a Croatian army general and politician who served as the second defense minister of Croatia and, later, the chief of staff of the newborn Croatian army and inspector-general of the army. His efforts to organize and equip the army from scratch were seen as instrumental in helping Croatia survive the first year of the Croatian War of Independence. Partly owing to disagreements with president Franjo Tuđman, he retired in 1992, after the war froze with the permanent ceasefire at the end of 1991.