Franjo Tuđman
Franjo Tuđman (14 May 1922 – 10 December 1999) was a Croatian historian, politician, and general who served as the first president of Croatia from 1990 to 1999. He was the leader of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which won the 1990 parliamentary elections and led Croatia to independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. Tuđman was a controversial figure, both during his lifetime and after his death.
Tuđman was born in Veliko Trgovišće, Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (present-day Croatia). He studied history at the University of Zagreb and was a member of the Communist Party of Croatia. After graduating, he became a professor of history at the University of Sarajevo.
In 1967, Tuđman published a book titled "The Nation and the Revolution," in which he argued that Croatia had been an independent state before the establishment of Yugoslavia in 1918. This book was banned by the Yugoslav authorities, and Tuđman was expelled from the Communist Party.
In the late 1980s, Tuđman joined the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ), which was a nationalist political party that advocated for Croatian independence. In 1990, the HDZ won the parliamentary elections and Tuđman became the first president of Croatia.
On 25 June 1991, Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia. This led to the Croatian War of Independence, which lasted from 1991 to 1995. Tuđman was the commander-in-chief of the Croatian armed forces during the war.
After the war, Tuđman implemented a number of policies that aimed to consolidate Croatian independence and to strengthen the Croatian nation. He also pursued a policy of reconciliation with ethnic Serbs in Croatia.
Tuđman died in office on 10 December 1999. He was succeeded by Stjepan Mesić.
Tuđman was a controversial figure. He was praised by some for his role in leading Croatia to independence and for his efforts to build a strong Croatian state. However, he was also criticized for his authoritarian rule and for his policies towards ethnic Serbs in Croatia.
Tuđman's legacy remains contested in Croatia. He is still seen by many as a hero who led Croatia to independence, but he is also criticized for his authoritarian rule and for his policies towards ethnic Serbs.
