Chief of the General Staff (Yugoslavia)

Head of military staff of Yugoslavia

Chief of the General Staff

* Начелник Генералштаба (Serbo-Croatian)
* Načelnik Generalštaba (Serbo-Croatian)

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)
Type| Chief of staff
Status| Abolished
Abbreviation| NGŠ
Member of| General Staff
Reports to| Minister of Defence of Yugoslavia
Seat| General Staff Building, Belgrade (1965–99)
Appointer| Head of state of Yugoslavia (1918–92)
President of Serbia and Montenegro (1992–2006)
Term length| No fixed length
Precursor| Chief of the Serbian General Staff
Formation| 1 December 1918
First holder| Field Marshal Živojin Mišić
Final holder| Lt. Col. General Ljubiša Jokić
Abolished| 3 June 2006
Superseded by| Chairman of the Chiefs of Joint Staff (BiH)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)
Deputy| Deputy 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

[edit]

† denotes people who died in office.

### Royal Yugoslav Army and Navy (1918–1920)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch

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| Mišić, ŽivojinField Marshal
Živojin Mišić
(1855–1921)
[a]| 1 December 1918| 5 May 1920| 1 year, 156 days|  Royal Army

### Royal Yugoslav Armed Forces (1920–1941)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Chief of the General Staff | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch

|
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| Mišić, ŽivojinField Marshal
Živojin Mišić
(1855–1921)| 5 May 1920| 20 January 1921 †| 260 days|  Royal Army

| Pešić, PetarGeneral
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)
Acting| 21 January 1921| 10 March 1921| 48 days|  Royal Army

| Bojović, PetarField Marshal
Petar Bojović
(1858–1945)| 10 March 1921| 8 December 1921| 273 days|  Royal Army

| Pešić, PetarGeneral
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)| 8 December 1921| 4 November 1922| 331 days|  Royal Army

| Milovanović, MilanGeneral
(when appointed)
Divisional general
(since 1923)
Milan Milovanović
(1874–1942)
Acting| 4 November 1922| 30 July 1924| 1 year, 269 days|  Royal Army
(3)|

| Pešić, PetarArmy general
Petar Pešić
(1871–1944)| 30 July 1924| 11 April 1929| 4 years, 255 days|  Royal Army

| Milovanović, MilanArmy general
Milan Milovanović
(1874–1942)| 11 April 1929| 18 April 1934| 5 years, 7 days|  Royal Army

| Kosić, PetarDivisional general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
Acting| 18 April 1934| 1 June 1934| 44 days|  Royal Army

| Nedić, MilanArmy general
Milan Nedić
(1877–1946)
[b]| 1 June 1934| 9 March 1935| 281 days|  Royal Army

| Kosić, PetarDivisional general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
Acting| 10 March 1935| 12 May 1935| 63 days|  Royal Army

| Marić, LjubomirArmy general
Ljubomir Marić
(1878–1960)| 12 May 1935| 8 March 1936| 301 days|  Royal Army

| Kosić, PetarDivisional general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
Acting| 8 March 1936| 6 September 1936| 182 days|  Royal Army

| Nedić, MilutinDivisional general
Milutin Nedić
(1882–1945)
Acting
[c]| 6 September 1936| 6 September 1937| 1 year|  Royal Army

| Nedić, MilutinArmy general
Milutin Nedić
(1882–1945)
[c]| 6 September 1937| 25 August 1938| 353 days|  Royal Army

| Bodi, MihailoDivisional general
Mihailo D. Bodi
(1884–1953)
Acting| 25 August 1938| 15 September 1938| 21 days|  Royal Army

| Simović, DušanArmy general
Dušan Simović
(1882–1962)| 15 September 1938| 3 January 1940| 1 year, 110 days|  Royal Air Force

| Kosić, PetarArmy general
Petar Kosić
(1881–1949)
[d]| 3 January 1940| 27 March 1941| 1 year, 83 days|  Royal Army
(8)|

| Simović, DušanArmy general
Dušan Simović
(1882–1962)| 27 March 1941| 14 April 1941| 18 days|  Royal Air Force

| Kalafatović, DaniloArmy general
Danilo Kalafatović
(1875–1946)
Acting| 15 April 1941| 17 April 1941| 2 days|  Royal Army

### Yugoslav Army Outside the Homeland (1941–1942)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch

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| Lozić, MiodragLieutenant colonel
Miodrag Lozić| 1941| 1942| 0–1 years|  JVvO

### Yugoslav Army in the Homeland (1942–1945)

[edit]

No. | Portrait  | Chief of Staff of the Supreme Command | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Defence branch

|
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| Mihailović, DragoljubArmy general
Dragoljub Mihailović
(1893–1946)| 1942| 1944| 1–2 years|  JVuO

| Damjanović, MiodragBrigadier general
Miodrag Damjanović
(1893–1956)| 1944| 1945| 0–1 years|  JVuO

### National Liberation Army (1941–1945)

[edit]

See also: Supreme Headquarters of the People's Liberation Army and Partisan Detachments of Yugoslavia

No. | Portrait  | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office | Party | Defence branch

|
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|

N/A|

| Tito, Josip BrozMarshal of Yugoslavia
Josip Broz Tito
(1892–1980)
Commander of the Supreme Headquarters and Commander-in-Chief| 27 June 1941| 1 March 1945| 3 years, 247 days| SKJ|  NOV i POJ
N/A|

| Jovanović, ArsoLt. Col. General
Arso Jovanović
(1907–1948)
Chief of the Supreme Headquarters| 12 December 1941| 1 March 1945| 3 years, 79 days| SKJ|  NOV i POJ

### Yugoslav People's Army (1945–1992)

[edit]

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

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| Jovanović, ArsoColonel general
Arso Jovanović
(1907–1948)
[e]| 1 March 1945| 15 September 1945| 198 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces

| Popović, KočaColonel general
Koča Popović
(1908–1992)
[f]| 15 September 1945| 27 January 1953| 4 years, 134 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces

| Dapčević, PekoColonel general
Peko Dapčević
(1913–1999)| 27 January 1953| 29 April 1955| 2 years, 92 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces

| Vučković, LjuboColonel general
Ljubo Vučković
(1915–1976)| 29 April 1955| 16 June 1961| 6 years, 48 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces

| Hamović, RadeColonel general
Rade Hamović
(1916–2009)| 16 June 1961| 15 June 1967| 5 years, 364 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces

| Šumonja, MilošColonel general
Miloš Šumonja
(1918–2006)| 15 June 1967| 5 January 1970| 2 years, 204 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces

| Bubanj, ViktorColonel general
Viktor Bubanj
(1918–1972)| 5 January 1970| 15 October 1972 †| 2 years, 284 days| SKJ|  Air Force

| Potočar, StaneColonel general
Stane Potočar
(1919–1997)| 15 October 1972| 10 July 1979| 6 years, 268 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces

| Mamula, BrankoAdmiral
Branko Mamula
(1921–2021)
[g]| 10 July 1979| 5 May 1982| 2 years, 299 days| SKJ|  Navy
10|

| Gračanin, PetarColonel general
Petar Gračanin
(1923–2004)
[h]| 5 May 1982| 1 September 1985| 3 years, 119 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces
11|

| Čanadi, ZorkoColonel general
Zorko Čanadi
(1925–2003)| 1 September 1985| 15 September 1987| 2 years, 14 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces
12|

| Mirković, StevanColonel general
Stevan Mirković
(1927–2015)| 15 September 1987| 29 September 1989| 2 years, 14 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces
13|

| Adžić, BlagojeColonel general
Blagoje Adžić
(1932–2012)| 29 September 1989| 27 February 1992| 2 years, 151 days| SKJ|  Ground Forces
14|

| Panić, ŽivotaColonel general
Života Panić
(1933–2003)
[i]| 27 February 1992| 20 May 1992| 83 days| Independent|  Ground Forces

### 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

|
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| Panić, ŽivotaColonel general
Života Panić
(1933–2003)
[j]| 20 May 1992| 26 August 1993| 1 year, 98 days|  Ground Forces

| Perišić, MomčiloColonel general
Momčilo Perišić
(born 1944)| 26 August 1993| 26 November 1998| 5 years, 92 days|  Ground Forces

| Ojdanić, DragoljubColonel general
Dragoljub Ojdanić
(1941–2020)
[k]| 26 November 1998| 7 February 2000| 1 year, 73 days|  Ground Forces

| Pavković, NebojšaColonel general
Nebojša Pavković
(born 1946)| 7 February 2000| 24 June 2002| 2 years, 137 days|  Ground Forces

| Krga, BrankoColonel general
Branko Krga
(born 1945)
[l]| 24 June 2002| 23 December 2004| 2 years, 182 days|  Ground Forces

| Paskaš, DraganLt. Col. General
Dragan Paskaš
(born 1951)| 23 December 2004| 6 October 2005| 287 days|  Ground Forces

| Jokić, LjubišaLt. Col. General
Ljubiša Jokić
(born 1958)| 6 October 2005| 3 June 2006| 240 days|  Air Force

## Timeline

[edit]

## See also

[edit]

* Chiefs of Joint Staff of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (Croatia)
* Commander of Kosovo Security Force
* 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)

## Notes

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

* v
* t
* e

Royal Yugoslav Armed Forces

Leadership|

* Commander-in-Chief
* Minister of the Army and Navy
* Chief of the General Staff
* Supreme Command

Branches|

* Royal Yugoslav Army
* 1st Army Group
* 4th and 7th Armies
* 2nd Army Group
* 1st and 2nd Armies
* 3rd Army Group
* 3rd and 3rd Territorial Armies
* 5th Army
* 6th Army
* Coastal Defence Command
* Royal Yugoslav Navy
* Ships
* Royal Yugoslav Air Force

Personnel|

* Ranks

Decorations|

* Orders, decorations, and medals

* v
* t
* e

Yugoslav People's Army

Leadership|

* Commander-in-Chief
* Federal Secretary of People's Defence
* Chief of the General Staff

Branches|

* Yugoslav Ground Forces
* Yugoslav Navy
* Ships
* Yugoslav Air Force
* Territorial Defense

Counterintelligence|

KOS

Personnel|

* Yugoslav People's Army ranks

Decorations|

* Orders, decorations, and medals

* v
* t
* e

Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro

Leadership|

* Commander-in-Chief
* Minister of Defence
* Chief of the General Staff

Branches|

* Ground Forces of Serbia and Montenegro
* Navy of Serbia and Montenegro
* Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro

Counterintelligence|

Security Directorate

Personnel|

* Ranks and insignia of the Armed Forces of Serbia and Montenegro

Decorations|

* Orders, decorations, and medals

* v
* t
* e

Chiefs of the General Staff of the Royal Yugoslav Armed Forces

* Živojin Mišić (1918–1921)
* Petar Bojović (1921)
* Petar Pešić (1921–1922)
* Milan Milovanović (1922–1924)
* Petar Pešić (1924–1928)
* Milan Milovanović (1928–1934)
* Milan Nedić (1934–1935)
* Ljubomir Marić (1935–1936)
* Milutin Nedić (1937–1938)
* Dušan Simović (1938–1940)
* Petar Kosić (1940–1941)
* Dušan Simović (1941)
* Danilo Kalafatović (1941)
* Dušan Simović (1941)
* Dragoljub Mihailović (1942–1944)

* v
* t
* e

Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav People's Army

* Arso Jovanović (1945)
* Koča Popović (1945–1953)
* Peko Dapčević (1953–1955)
* Ljubo Vučković (1955–1961)
* Rade Hamović (1961–1967)
* Miloš Šumonja (1967–1970)
* Viktor Bubanj (1970–1972)
* Stane Potočar (1972–1979)
* Branko Mamula (1979–1982)
* Petar Gračanin (1982–1985)
* Zorko Čanadi (1985–1987)
* Stevan Mirković (1987–1989)
* Blagoje Adžić (1989–1992)
* Života Panić (1992)

* v
* t
* e

Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro)

* Života Panić (1992–1993)
* Momčilo Perišić (1993–1998)
* Dragoljub Ojdanić (1998–2000)
* Nebojša Pavković (2000–2002)
* Branko Krga (2002–2004)
* Dragan Paskaš (2004–2005)
* Ljubiša Jokić (2005–2006)

* v
* t
* e

Chiefs of defence by country

Chief of Defence

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* Somaliland
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

former|

* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* British Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Rhodesia
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
* Colombia
* Cuba
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Secretariat of National Defense
* Secretariat of the Navy
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Asia|

* Afghanistan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* India
* Indonesia
* Iran
* AJA
* IRGC
* Iraq
* Israel
* Japan
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* North Korea
* South Korea
* Kuwait
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Taiwan
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Timor-Leste
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

former|

* Democratic Kampuchea
* Imperial Japan
* Mengjiang
* Manchukuo
* South Vietnam

Europe|

* Abkhazia
* Albania
* Armenia
* Artsakh
* Austria
* Azerbaijan
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Italy
* Kosovo
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* North Macedonia
* Northern Cyprus
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* South Ossetia
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Transnistria
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Vatican

former|

* Austria–Hungary
* Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* Prussia
* Imperial Germany
* Nazi Germany
* East Germany
* Ottoman Empire
* Russian Empire
* Republika Srpska
* Republic of Serb Krajina
* Soviet Union
* Yugoslavia

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

Supranational|

* European Union
* NATO

former|

* Warsaw Pact

*[No.]: Number
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