This final paper presents the geopolitical and the military factors of the development of the Croatian army of the Homeland Defense War (since 1991) and the factors of the development of the Israel defence forces establishment of the state of Israel (since 1948). The aim of the paper is to compare how these two armies developed throughout history with an emphasis on their first war years and key operations for the survival of the state, and to make a proposal for future research based on their similarities and differences. Special emphasis in the paper is placed on the War of Independence in 1948-1949. and the Homeland War 1991–1995. because these two wars are key to understanding the legacy that accompanied both armies during the transformation phases, and the common denominator of the situation in which the Republic of Croatia and the State of Israel found themselves was expressed through three factors of influence: lack of strategic depth of territory, pressure from the international community and production and import of weapons. Analysis of these factors shows great similarities in the development and transformation of the Croatian Army and the Israeli Defense Forces. The lack of strategic depth of the state's territory directed both armies to the development of deterrence capabilities, such as the membership of the Republic of Croatia in NATO and the possession of nuclear weapons by the State of Israel. The pressure of the international community significantly affected the limitations in the approach to solving threats and conflicts in both cases, and due to the arms embargo and the initial lack of military resources, both countries were forced to develop domestic military production and engage in illegal arms imports.