Chief of the General Staff (Yugoslavia)

Chief of the General Staff
Standard of the Chief of the General Staff (1995–2003)
Longest in office
Colonel general Stane Potočar
15 October 1972 – 10 July 1979
 Royal Yugoslav Army (1918–41)
 Yugoslav People's Army (1945–92)
 Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006)
TypeChief of staff
StatusAbolished
AbbreviationNGŠ
Member ofGeneral Staff
Reports toMinister of Defence of Yugoslavia
SeatYugoslav Ministry of Defence building, Belgrade (1965–99)
AppointerHead of state of Yugoslavia (1918–92)
President of Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006)
Term lengthNo fixed length
PrecursorChief of the Serbian General Staff
Formation1 December 1918
First holderField Marshal Živojin Mišić
Final holderLt. Col. General Ljubiša Jokić
Abolished3 June 2006
Superseded byChairman of the Chiefs of Joint Staff (BiH)
Chief of the General Staff (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)
DeputyDeputy Chief of the General Staff

The Chief of the General Staff of Yugoslavia (Serbo-Croatian: Начелник Генералштаба / Načelnik Generalštaba; Slovene: Načelnik Generalštaba; Macedonian: Началник на Генералштабот, romanized: Načalnik na Generalštabot) 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.

List of chiefs of the general staff

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† denotes people who died in office.

Royal Yugoslav Army and Navy (1918–1920)

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No. Portrait Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Živojin Mišić
Mišić, ŽivojinField Marshal
Živojin Mišić
(1855–1921)
[a]		1 December 19185 May 19201 year, 156 days Royal Army

Royal Yugoslav Armed Forces (1920–1941)

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No. Portrait Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Živojin Mišić
Mišić, ŽivojinField Marshal
Živojin Mišić
(1855–1921)		5 May 192020 January 1921 †260 days Royal Army
–
Petar Pešić
Pešić, PetarGeneral
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)
Acting		21 January 192110 March 192148 days Royal Army
2
Petar Bojović
Bojović, PetarField Marshal
Petar Bojović
(1858–1945)		10 March 19218 December 1921273 days Royal Army
3
Petar Pešić
Pešić, PetarGeneral
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)		8 December 19214 November 1922331 days Royal Army
–
Milan Milovanović
Milovanović, MilanGeneral
(when appointed)
Divisional general
(since 1923)
Milan Milovanović
(1874–1942)
Acting		4 November 192230 July 19241 year, 269 days Royal Army
(3)
Petar Pešić
Pešić, PetarArmy general
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)		30 July 192411 April 19294 years, 255 days Royal Army
4
Milan Milovanović
Milovanović, MilanArmy general
Milan Milovanović
(1874–1942)		11 April 192918 April 19345 years, 7 days Royal Army
–
Petar Kosić
Kosić, PetarDivisional general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
Acting		18 April 19341 June 193444 days Royal Army
5
Milan Nedić
Nedić, MilanArmy general
Milan Nedić
(1877–1946)
[b]		1 June 19349 March 1935281 days Royal Army
–
Petar Kosić
Kosić, PetarDivisional general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
Acting		10 March 193512 May 193563 days Royal Army
6
Ljubomir Marić
Marić, LjubomirArmy general
Ljubomir Marić
(1878–1960)		12 May 19358 March 1936301 days Royal Army
–
Petar Kosić
Kosić, PetarDivisional general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
Acting		8 March 19366 September 1936182 days Royal Army
–
Milutin Nedić
Nedić, MilutinDivisional general
Milutin Nedić
(1882–1945)
Acting
[c]		6 September 19366 September 19371 year Royal Army
7
Milutin Nedić
Nedić, MilutinArmy general
Milutin Nedić
(1882–1945)
[c]		6 September 193725 August 1938353 days Royal Army
–
Mihailo D. Bodi
Bodi, MihailoDivisional general
Mihailo D. Bodi
(1884–1953)
Acting		25 August 193815 September 193821 days Royal Army
8
Dušan Simović
Simović, DušanArmy general
Dušan Simović
(1882–1962)		15 September 19383 January 19401 year, 110 days Royal Air Force
9
Petar Kosić
Kosić, PetarArmy general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
[d]		3 January 194027 March 19411 year, 83 days Royal Army
(8)
Dušan Simović
Simović, DušanArmy general
Dušan Simović
(1882–1962)		27 March 194114 April 194118 days Royal Air Force
–
Danilo Kalafatović
Kalafatović, DaniloArmy general
Danilo Kalafatović
(1875–1946)
Acting		15 April 194117 April 19412 days Royal Army

Yugoslav Army Outside the Homeland (1941–1942)

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No. Portrait Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Miodrag Lozić
Lozić, MiodragLieutenant colonel
Miodrag Lozić		194119420–1 years JVvO

Yugoslav Army in the Homeland (1942–1945)

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No. Portrait Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Dragoljub Mihailović
Mihailović, DragoljubArmy general
Dragoljub Mihailović
(1893–1946)		194219441–2 years JVuO
2
Miodrag Damjanović
Damjanović, MiodragBrigadier general
Miodrag Damjanović
(1893–1956)		194419450–1 years JVuO

National Liberation Army (1941–1945)

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See also: Supreme Headquarters (Yugoslav Partisans)
No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Party Defence branch
N/A
Josip Broz Tito
Tito, Josip BrozMarshal of Yugoslavia
Josip Broz Tito
(1892–1980)
Commander of the Supreme Headquarters and Commander-in-Chief		27 June 19411 March 19453 years, 247 daysSKJ NOV i POJ
N/A
Arso Jovanović
Jovanović, ArsoLt. Col. General
Arso Jovanović
(1907–1948)
Chief of the Supreme Headquarters		12 December 19411 March 19453 years, 79 daysSKJ NOV i POJ

Yugoslav People's Army (1945–1992)

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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 (after 1980 Presidency) 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
Jovanović, ArsoColonel general
Arso Jovanović
(1907–1948)
[e]		1 March 194515 September 1945198 daysSKJ Ground Forces
2
Koča Popović
Popović, KočaColonel general
Koča Popović
(1908–1992)
[f]		15 September 194527 January 19534 years, 134 daysSKJ Ground Forces
3
Peko Dapčević
Dapčević, PekoColonel general
Peko Dapčević
(1913–1999)		27 January 195329 April 19552 years, 92 daysSKJ Ground Forces
4
Ljubo Vučković
Vučković, LjuboColonel general
Ljubo Vučković
(1915–1976)		29 April 195516 June 19616 years, 48 daysSKJ Ground Forces
5
Rade Hamović
Hamović, RadeColonel general
Rade Hamović
(1916–2009)		16 June 196115 June 19675 years, 364 daysSKJ Ground Forces
6
Miloš Šumonja
Šumonja, MilošColonel general
Miloš Šumonja
(1918–2006)		15 June 19675 January 19702 years, 204 daysSKJ Ground Forces
7
Viktor Bubanj
Bubanj, ViktorColonel general
Viktor Bubanj
(1918–1972)		5 January 197015 October 1972 †2 years, 284 daysSKJ Air Force
8
Stane Potočar
Potočar, StaneColonel general
Stane Potočar
(1919–1997)		15 October 197210 July 19796 years, 268 daysSKJ Ground Forces
9
Branko Mamula
Mamula, BrankoAdmiral
Branko Mamula
(1921–2021)
[g]		10 July 19795 May 19822 years, 299 daysSKJ Navy
10
Petar Gračanin
Gračanin, PetarColonel general
Petar Gračanin
(1923–2004)
[h]		5 May 19821 September 19853 years, 119 daysSKJ Ground Forces
11
Zorko Čanadi
Čanadi, ZorkoColonel general
Zorko Čanadi
(1925–2003)		1 September 198515 September 19872 years, 14 daysSKJ Ground Forces
12
Stevan Mirković
Mirković, StevanColonel general
Stevan Mirković
(1927–2015)		15 September 198729 September 19892 years, 14 daysSKJ Ground Forces
13
Blagoje Adžić
Adžić, BlagojeColonel general
Blagoje Adžić
(1932–2012)		29 September 198927 February 19922 years, 151 daysSKJ Ground Forces
14
Života Panić
Panić, ŽivotaColonel general
Života Panić
(1933–2003)
[i]		27 February 199220 May 199283 daysIndependent Ground Forces

Timeline

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Života PanićBlagoje AdžićStevan MirkovićZorko ČanadiPetar GračaninBranko MamulaStane PotočarViktor BubanjMiloš ŠumonjaRade HamovićLjubo VučkovićPeko DapčevićKoča PopovićArso Jovanović

Armed Forces of 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 Chief of the General Staff Took office Left office Time in office Defence branch
1
Života Panić
Panić, ŽivotaColonel general
Života Panić
(1933–2003)
[j]		20 May 199226 August 19931 year, 98 days Ground Forces
2
Momčilo Perišić
Perišić, MomčiloColonel general
Momčilo Perišić
(born 1944)		26 August 199326 November 19985 years, 92 days Ground Forces
3
Dragoljub Ojdanić
Ojdanić, DragoljubColonel general
Dragoljub Ojdanić
(1941–2020)
[k]		26 November 19987 February 20001 year, 73 days Ground Forces
4
Nebojša Pavković
Pavković, NebojšaColonel general
Nebojša Pavković
(born 1946)		7 February 200024 June 20022 years, 137 days Ground Forces
5
Branko Krga
Krga, BrankoColonel general
Branko Krga
(born 1945)
[l]		24 June 200223 December 20042 years, 182 days Ground Forces
6
Dragan Paskaš
Paskaš, DraganLt. Col. General
Dragan Paskaš
(born 1951)		23 December 20046 October 2005287 days Ground Forces
7
Ljubiša Jokić
Jokić, LjubišaLt. Col. General
Ljubiša Jokić
(born 1958)		6 October 20053 June 2006240 days Air Force

Timeline

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Ljubiša JokićDragan PaskašBranko KrgaNebojša PavkovićDragoljub OjdanićMomčilo PerišićŽivota Panić

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Previously served as Chief of the Serbian General Staff.
  2. ^ Later served as the Prime Minister of the Government of National Salvation from 1941 to 1944.
  3. ^ a b Brother of Milan Nedić.
  4. ^ Removed from office in the Yugoslav coup d'état.
  5. ^ Killed by border guards while allegedly trying to escape to Romania during the Informbiro period.
  6. ^ Afterwards served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1953 to 1965.
  7. ^ Afterwards served as the Minister of Defence from 1982 to 1988.
  8. ^ Later served as the President of the Presidency of SR Serbia from 1987 to 1989.
  9. ^ Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia from 20 May 1992.
  10. ^ Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav People's Army until 20 May 1992.
  11. ^ Afterwards served as the Minister of Defence in 2000.
  12. ^ Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro since 7 March 2003.

Sources

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  • Chief of the General Staff: 1876–2000, Ivetić Velimir, Belgrade 2000.
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