The conflict in the Balkans is interesting because for years,

reporters and politicians have touted it as being the result of

ancient ethnic hatred but that isn't the case. The people of the

region lived together peacefully for centuries and any conflicts that

have arose among people were based not on ethnic origin but other

things like class, ruling party, etc. In fact, any problems that have

arose in the former Yugoslavia have more to do with the issues raised

by nationalism that developed during World War II and not centuries of

three different peoples living together.

This paper will explore the history of the conflict in the

Balkans from the time shortly after Josip Tito passed away until just

before the Dayton Accords. Additionally, it will be shown that at

each of the three distinct points of the conflict, the international

community and the United States had it within their power to stop the

violence. The three distinct phases are Kosovo, secession, and Bosnia

and at each point, the lack of action or overreaction of the

international community failed to solve the problem.

The first phase of Yugoslavian disintegration can be

In March of 1992, the United States pushed for the

by the Albanian majority than by the Serb minority. Many of the

corridor of land that connected the two regions of Bosnia that they

II and this relationship continues onward even until today. Telling

same challenges that Viet Nam offered. There was no popular support

Kosovo as second class citizens within a now, new Greater Serbia, the

(Alphonse D'Amato), of those who habitually cultivated the support of

JNA and threatened to be shot down if they failed to turn around.

Russia to support their efforts toward a market economy and democracy

American press clearly identified the Serbs as the aggressors and the

plan was reached had to be put on the ballot for a referendum. The

by experts in the embassy in Belgrade and in Washington, was certainly

and Kucan of Slovenia, the Slovene people made their way toward

excessive police brutality and on April 3, 1981, Belgrade imposed

Serbs in favor of a unified, independent Bosnia. In February of 1992,

Some common words found in the essay are:
Sarajevo Finally, Yugoslavia JNA, League Communists, Slovenia Croatia, Albanians Kosovo, JNA Yugoslav, Kosovo Albanian, Albanian Muslims, Serb Croat, Accords Additionally, international community, croatia slovenia, human rights, serbs living, armed conflict, white house, united yugoslavia, soviet union, bush administration, breakup soviet union, returned home, serbs living croatia, human rights violations, world war ii, croatia slovenia bosnia,
Approximate Word count = 5311
Approximate Pages = 21 (250 words per page double spaced)