Yugoslavia

Yugoslavia
Tito:
1945 to 1980                35 years                1951
[NOTE: Shortly before he died he amended the constitution so no official, however highly-placed, can hold any post for
more than four years]
        Died in office in 1980, age 87.
Slobodan Milosevic, lawyer:
1984 Head of Belgrade Communist party.
1986 Chief of Serbian Communist party.
1989 President of Serbia; 1997 of Yugoslavia to 2000.
        11 years                                        1995
Built 100,000 heavily armed police force, and built army support for himself.
His family amassed wealth and power.
Encouraged ethnic hatred. Tens of thousands died in civil wars. The Serbian campaign of “ethnic cleansing” sought to
expel or eliminate the non-Serb majority in Croatia and Bosnia using mass executions, forced marches, torture, starvation,
and systematic rape. In response, the United Nations imposed trade sanctions on Serbia. Economy in shambles, with
severe unemployment.
His campaign of sustained terror in Kosovo was against 90% of the population.
1999 President Clinton ordered U.S. to join NATO with bombing raids and missiles for 79 days against military and
government installations and economic targets in Yugoslavia.
Republicans in Congress criticize President Clinton's use of military to oust a dictator, but Congress finally appropriates
funds needed for air campaign, peacekeeping and reconstruction of Serbia after Milosevic would be ousted from office.
In 1999 a million people driven violently from their homes, with 800,000 refugees driven into neighboring countries,
causing large problems there.
1999, while still Head of State, Milosevic indicted for mass killings.
Huge protest marches for months against Milosevic.
2000 Finally out as Head of State at age 59.
2001 NATO force of 36,000 included 5,000 from U.S.
President G. W. Bush visits U.S. troops in Kosovo and pledges support of NATO action removing president Milosevic.
New regime arrests Milosevic for genocide, turns him over to International Court of Justice, The Hague, where his trial
begins in 2002 for crimes against humanity, massive genocide, and ethnic cleansing. Long delays with arguments whether
Milosevic, in ill health, should be allowed to defend himself. Milosevic claims the NATO bombing was genocide. Many
journalists assert that Milosevic’s crimes were exaggerated to justify the U.S. bombing. He died in 2006 in his UN prison
cell during the fourth year of his trial.
2003 Serbian Prime Minister, Zoran Djindjic, who led revolt against Milosevic, is assassinated.





			Return to LIST of Countries

		HOME Copyright © 2006 by Edward A. Morris, All Rights Reserved