The Yugoslav Wars

The Yugoslav Wars were a series of wars fought in the 1990s in the territory of the former federal state of Yugoslavia. These conflicts were fought along ethnic and national lines, and horrific war crimes targeted specific ethnic groups were committed during their time. The term "ethnic cleansing" was so central to the discussion surrounding these conflicts that it was voted "Unword of the Year" in Germany in 1992 [JQ1].

Slovenia's Independence and the "10-Day War"

Establishing the exact beginning of the conflicts is extremely difficult, as a variety of factors—such as the economic crisis, the death of long-time dictator Josip Broz Tito, a complicated constitution, polarizing election campaigns, and crimes committed during World War II—contributed to the escalation of the situation. However, the beginning of this period can probably be considered Slovenia's declaration of independence from Yugoslavia in 1991. In response, the then Yugoslav government sent the Yugoslav People's Army (JVA) to Slovenia to pacify the territories, leading to the so-called "10-Day War" [JQ1, JQ2] It is so named because after 10 days – partly due to pressure from the European Community – a ceasefire was reached between Slovenia and Yugoslavia, and the JVA troops withdrew from Slovenian territory.

Secretary of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina

Almost immediately after the regions of Croatia declared their independence from Yugoslavia in May 1991 and Bosnia-Herzegovina in December 1991, the JVA responded by invading again [JQ3]. This time, the conflict would not be limited to 10 days, but would become one of the bloodiest wars on European territory since the Second World War. What makes these wars so chaotic and frightening is the mixture of population groups in Croatia and especially Bosnia-Herzegovina: Serbs lived alongside Bosniaks and Croats in close proximity [JQ4]. The nationalist currents within these population groups, which had gained momentum after Tito's death and polarizing election campaigns, flared up during the wars and drove soldiers to commit atrocities. Serb leaders in Bosnia, for example, dreamed of a "Greater Serbian" state, which required the expulsion of Croats and Bosniaks from certain areas. Bosniak and Croat fighters, in turn, killed numerous Serb civilians in reprisal attacks. Croats and Bosniaks also fought against each other [JQ3]. In 1995, NATO responded to the ongoing war crimes and, starting in August, sent fighter jets to the region, specifically to bomb the positions of Serbian militias. In December 1995, the heads of state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, and Croatia finally signed the so-called Dayton Agreement, ending the war after four years.

The Conflict in Kosovo

But in 1998, conflict broke out again in the region, this time in Kosovo, where the Kosovo Albanians, who represented 80% of the population, were striving for independence. They also used armed force, so that the conflict was already simmering when the JVA invaded again. A proposed peace treaty was rejected by the Serbian government, so that NATO jets once again flew against Serbian military stations. In June 1999, the Yugoslav government finally accepted the UN peace plan and its troops withdrew, which marked the end of the Yugoslav Wars [JQ3].