The Croatian artillery opened up at 5 a.m. As hundreds of shells crashed down on the enemy's mountain stronghold, Croat armored columns backed by helicopters and jets rolled unopposed across a 725-mile U.N. truce line drawn around the Krajina region after war erupted between Serbia and Croatia in 1991. In the north, the Croat assault pushed toward Luna rocket emplacements capable of hitting the capital, Zagreb. To the south, the main attack targeted Knin, a medieval city where Croatian kings once were crowned—before it became a hub of Serbian nationalism. The defenders, 50,000 Serb irregulars commanded by a general from Belgrade, were overmatched by a factor of 3 to 1. Although important border cities like Sisak remained under heavy bombardment, the Serbs mostly ran. A squadron of Serb fighter jets flew away without firing a shot. Within 36 hours, the checkerboard flag of Croatia flew over Knin's ancient citadel. By nightfall of day two, a NATO source said, Zagreb held "every bridge, every road, every town."
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