In October 1991, when the war began and armed attacks of Serbian units started on the Croats of Herzeg - Bosnia, the first victims were the inhabitants of the parishes Ravno and Trebinja; fifteen villages were burnt and leveled to the ground, people were either driven away or captured in Serbian war camps, where many were killed. The news about aggression and genocide was not given publicity in the media in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The aggression and other warring activities of the Serbian squads and Federal army units in Croatia made it perfectly clear that Serbs would end in armed attacks, not only on Croatia, but on all Croats from Bosnia and Herzegovina.The Croatian community of Herzeg - Bosnia was born in this war that was forced upon the Croats who began the defense of their territories, in order to survive and keep the dignity of the only homeland they had, as well as protect the freedom and human rights of all the citizens in the community.
The Croatian Defense Troops (Hrvatsko vijeće obrane) defended the community that had become a safe haven for scores of refugees and displaced families; it is now the only territory within the former Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, where all activities (schools, food production, transport) are carried on.
The Assembly in Grude proclaimed the Croatian Community of Herzeg - Bosnia a sovereign and independent state, on the 28th of August 1993.
