The Historian’s Controversial Count
Franjo Tuđman estimated 30,000-40,000 deaths at WWII’s Jasenovac camp, challenging claims of 700,000 victims. The Croatian historian warned that inflated numbers fueled dangerous nationalist rhetoric. Both sides attacked his analysis. Serbian nationalists used higher figures to stoke anti-Croatian sentiment. His own nationalist background undermined his credibility on this issue. The dispute over historical facts intensified ethnic tensions, contributing to the Yugoslav Wars’ outbreak in 1991.
