What Croatian Soldiers Said When They Fought Canadians At Medak Pocket

When the Croatian forces started advancing in September 1993, as part of the Croatian War of Independence, they believed United Nations peacekeepers would do what they always had done: observe, report and then go home. They were not expecting the troops of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (2 PPCLI). Lieutenant-Colonel Jim Calvin commanded 875 Canadian troops who were to enter the Medak Pocket to ensure a cease fire agreed to by both sides and prevent the systematic destruction of ethnic Serb villages. When the Croats tried to scare the peacekeepers, they started firing small arms, heavy machine guns and mortars at them, the Canadians did not go away. This was followed by a battle, the largest and most intense Canadian Infantryman had seen before or since the Korean War and the War in Afghanistan. Return fire, armoured vehicles and anti-tank gear were used with discipline and 2 PPCLI held their fort, forced a withdrawal and advanced to secure the pocket, uncover evidence of war crimes and to ensure the safety of those that remained civilian. On their return to Canada, however, the war was officially silenced by the Government for almost 10 years. It's the real story of the Battle of Medak Pocket – what it truly means to wear the blue helmet, the moral price of holding the line, and how to tell their story. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 - Standoff in the Medak Pocket (September 1993) 19:15 OBE1 & 2 - PPCLI & Lieutenant-Colonel Jim Calvin 14:05 - Offensive and UN Mandate Challenges 18:33 - The Ceasefire Ultimatum The 15-hour firefight: Peacekeepers hold the line. 25:20 - Breaking the Roadblocks and Securing the Area Divoselo: 27:31 - Uncovering the Aftermath. A decade of official silence - 35:11. 49:01 - 2002: Breaking the Silence and the Commendation The Legacy of Medak and its Human Cost, 53:22 HISTORICAL SOURCES AND FURTHER READING 1. Carol Off (2004). The Ghosts of Medak Pocket: The Story of Canada's Secret War. Vintage Canada / Random House. 3. Department of National Defence (DND) - Directorate of History and Heritage: MMPLI Commendation Records for 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (2nd C.L.I.). 3. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) - Case Information Sheet: The Prosecutor v. Rahim Ademi and Mirko Norac (Medak Pocket Case IT-04-78). Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) - The Canadian Armed Forces in the Former Yugoslavia: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/wars-and-conflicts/balkans 5. Canadian War Museum (CWM) - Peace Support Operations in the Balkans, 1992-2004: https://www.warmuseum.ca/learn/canadian-military-history-timeline/contemporary-era/the-balkans/ ABOUT CANADIANS AT WAR Canadians at War is dedicated to maintaining, recording and commemorating the service, losses and experiences of Canadian Forces members throughout the world. Please consider supporting Canadian military history documentation with a subscription. Take part in the discussion: Did the conduct of 2 PPCLI at Medak Pocket alter the basic concepts of modern UN peacekeeping? Leave a comment below, sharing your ideas. #CanadianMilitary #PPCLI #MedakPocket #CanadianArmy #MilitaryHistory #Peacekeeping #UNPROFOR #HistoryDocumentary