© James V. Ebrecht 2008 The Yugoslavian Experience Transition from the Communist Bloc to Modern State

© James V. Ebrecht 2008

The Yugoslavian Experience

Transition from the Communist Bloc to Modern

State

Learning Objectives• Ethnicity and Ethnic Identity are powerful political

forces• Ethnicity gives rise to ethnic identity, self

determination, nationalism and nation building. • Most nations have a component of “ethnic identity”

to promote nationalism• Nation building is a political process based on

common needs and goals rooted in ethnic identity• The power of ethnicity can be used to disassemble a

political unity


The Balkan Mountains


Balkanization• “A small geographic area ( the Balkan region)

that could not be successfully organized into one or more stable states due to many ethnicities with long standing antagonisms toward each other”

• The process by which a state breaks down by conflicts among it’s ethnicities”



World War I• Begins in the Balkans with a Serbian

assassination of an Austrian, Archduke Ferdinand

• Ends with a peace treaty that creates an artificial State, Yugoslavia




Eastern Europe – Yugoslavia Experience

• Created after WWI as a “buffer zone”• Artificial country not created by ethnic pride

and/or nationalism• Integrated Slavic peoples as “Yugo” (South)

“Slavia”• One border encompassed many peoples, many

ethnic loyalties, many religious differences• From 1949 to 1980 ruled by Josip (Josef) Broz

Tito (Marshal Tito)• Strong, Totalitarian Leadership held the country

together.

Josep “Tito” Broz• Arose before and during WWII as a

Communist fighting Facism

• Led partisan groups fighting Germany during WWII

• Supplied by Allied forces to keep German army busy looking for partisans in Yogoslavia

• Grew powerful in alliance with Russia


Yugoslavian diversity• Six Republics (Bosnia&Hertzegovinia, Croatia,

Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Slovenia)• Five Nationalities (Croats, Macedonians,

Montenegrens, Serbs, Slovenes)• Four Languages (Croatian, Macedonian, Serbian and

Slovene)• Three Religions (Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox,

Islam)• Two Languages in Roman Alphabet, Two in Cyrillic• One Currency - dinar



Balkan Ethnicities



After Josip Tito• No strong central government, no experience

operating without a dictator• Removal of Soviet oversight opened the door

for choice• Winter Olympics showcased the new

Yugoslavia• Within 10 years there was war, ethnic

cleansing, religious and cultural polarization and irredentism



Ethnic Cleansing• Tensions increase due to ethnic issues and

growth of nationalism centered on ethnicity

• Lack of a strong, unified leadership as provided by Tito

• Rumors of murders by Muslims touch of warfare between Muslims and Christians along ethnic lines

• Forces migration (ethnic cleansing) follows until UN and US forcibly end the killings



Kosovo• A province of Serbia populated with a

majority of ethnic Albanians

• Under Yugoslavia, controlled by the Serbian republic

• Population since 1946 increased to >75% ethnic Albanians

• During the breakup 750,000/2,000,000 were displaced to camps in Albania

• NATO forces withdrawal of all Serb troops and Albanians repatriate Kosovo


Kosovo 2009• Referendum in Kosovo votes overwhelmingly

for independence from Serbia

• Kosovo forms an independent state and secedes from Serbia

• President Bush recognizes Kosovo followed by Great Britain

• What about the Serbian claim to the area?

• Is it really independent or a part of Albania?


Balkan Ethnicities



Current Map• Some stability based on religious and cultural

affiliations• Lingering “war crimes” issues and resentment

of the fratricidal behaviors• These issues were held in check by a

totalitarian regime– What happens after the lid comes off the

“melting pot”?– Resemble any other region?

• What about Kosovo?

Documents

© James V. Ebrecht 2008 The Yugoslavian Experience Transition from the Communist Bloc to Modern State