Yugoslavia and the Balkans

The area Russia left behind

The Balkans

3 languages • Serbo-

Croat• Slovenia

n• Macedon

ian

3 religions as well• Serbian

Orthodox

• Catholic• Islam

Geography of the

BalkansVery mountainous

Today the Yugoslavia area of the Balkan region contains:

Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia – Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Macedonia, Montenegro

Brief History of the Region

Ruled a various times by the Ottomans, the Austro-Hungarians, and the Bulgarians

Germany took it over in 1941

Resistance organized by Josip “Tito” Broz

The Communist Period

Tito set up communist republic of Yugoslavia in 1945

Policy of Non-Alignment

Never joined with Moscow or the United States

Death of Tito and the Aftermath

Tito dies in 1980 Popular hero that united and suppressed various nationalities in the empire

Federation begins to show signs of wear by the early 1990s

The BreakupSerbia is the chief state of Yugoslavia and the most powerful

Slovenia secedes in 1992

Croatia and then Bosnia follow suit

Serbia angry at loss of power in region and Europe…war breaks out

Chaos! Serbs (fight Croats and Bosnian – Muslims)

Want to keep Bosnia and its Bosnian SerbsEthnically cleansed Bosnian Muslims

Croats (fights Serbs and Bosnian – Muslims)

Want to expand into Bosnia and get Bosnian-Croats

Bosnians (fight everyone)

Bosnian Muslims want their own country

The UN Enters the FrayUN tries to pull

everyone apart

Dayton Accords (1995)

Bosnia divided into two autonomous regions loosely tied togetherBosnian-Serb Republic and Muslim-Croat Federation

Another War – Serbia and Kosovo

Kosovo Region of Serbia Muslim population

Supported by Albania

1998 – Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) lead open Rebellion against Serbia

International OpinionPro-Serbian

Fear new warFear more BALKANIZATION- the process of fragmentation of a region into smaller regions that are often hostile or non-cooperative

Pro-KosovarWanted ability for self-determinationReject oppression

Slobodan Milosovic encouraged to bring order to the land

Accused of war crimes like Srebreniza and ethnic cleansing

NATO sent in to restore peace and stop Milosovic

Today – Peace?Milosovic was

apprehended and died during his trial at the Hague for War Crimes

Tentative peace has returned to the country

17 February 2008 - Kosovo declares independence