Posted on 12/12/2002 11:53:09 PM PST by Black Powder
OTTAWA (CP) - A Croatian newsmagazine says the 1993 battle of Medak Pocket, known as Canada's greatest victory since the Korean War, is a myth.
The Defence Department rejected the article, saying the role of Canadians in Medak is well documented with written and visual evidence. Canadian soldiers were decorated in Winnipeg last week for heroic combat during Operation Medak Pocket, during which they fended off a 15-hour attack by Croat forces. Between 27 and 31 Croats were killed, while four Canadians were wounded.
But a story in Tuesday's edition of Croatia's Nacional says the victory was "no more than a couple of shots into the night" toward the Croatian side on Sept. 15, 1993.
The magazine quotes unnamed Croat defence ministry sources saying there wasn't a single move made by either side during the standoff.
"Nor was there any use of artillery, grenade launchers or air support," the article says. "The events of that evening could be called many things, though battle is not one of them.
"The armed conflict between the Croatian and Canadian forces in operation Medak Pocket from 9 to 17 September 1993 never happened," says the story.
"The Canadian version of the events at Medak Pocket was intended to return morale to their own shaken army and public after a series of failures."
The article quotes an unnamed participant, "a high-ranking Croatian military officer," as saying Canadians could not have been under direct fire or attack by Croatian forces.
"We knew all their positions and techniques," he was quoted as saying.
"We never had any intention of conflicting with international forces, knowing the reaction it would have aroused in the international community."
Lt.-Cmdr. Ken McKillop, a Defence Department spokesman, refuted the magazine article but refused to comment on possible motives of the story or the role of the media in Croatia.
"Canadian Forces personnel acted in an exemplary, professional manner. It's unfortunate (the magazine) doesn't see the facts the way they actually unfolded."
Canadians are said to have saved hundreds of Serbian civilian lives from ethnic cleansing in the battle in southern Croatia.
As part of a United Nations-brokered ceasefire between Serbs and Croats in September 1993, the Croats agreed to withdraw from the Medak Pocket, near the Serbian town of Medak.
Canadian peacekeepers, reinforced by 500 French soldiers, were ordered to create a buffer zone.
As the Canadians moved in on the afternoon of Sept. 15, 1993, the Croats fired several rounds. Canadians promptly put larger UN flags on antennae and made certain their white UN vehicles could be seen from Croatian lines.
But when the Canadians and French again moved forward, the Croats responded with sustained machine-gun fire. The UN troops, less than a kilometre from Croatian lines, answered with machine guns and assault rifles.
The battle raged for 15 hours with exchanges lasting five minutes to an hour before the Croats finally surrendered.
Canadian forces subsequently negotiated a cease fire with the Croat army.
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