The Homeland War

Yugoslavia as a country dates from 1918, an amalgamation of small states of different religions and ethnic origins. In 1946 a major change occurred with the creation of a communist regime under President Tito when the original states became republics under a central communist control, as in the USSR itself.
Following Tito’s death in 1980 ethnic loyalties became more focused, and tensions were further heightened from 1987 when Milošević, President of the Serbian Party, started a propaganda campaign promoting Serbian mistrust of other ethnic groups. The Serbs were the largest ethnic group in Yugoslavia, and Milošević wanted Serbian fears translated into total support for his attempts to restore hard-line communism under Serbian central control.
Croatia and Slovenia, regions with different ethnic majorities, naturally found this policy unacceptable. They had anyway moved towards more democratic government. So, in June 1991, these two states declared full independence. Slovenia was better prepared, and their militia ejected the Yugoslav army units stationed within their borders. Croatia didn’t have a military force, so set about creating one and obtaining weapons from the Yugoslav Army bases in Croatia. Amazingly, they were quite successful in this.
I couldn’t establish whether this army base-cum-holiday complex near Dubrovnik had been attacked or not, but it certainly looked like it. The next three photos show a state of decay far greater than would be expected than from simple abandonment.










































They also had the skills to make some military hardware, for example this gunboat on display in Dubrovnik port under the inscription “ The First Battleship of the Croatian Navy”














Bitter fighting occurred between Croats and Serbs living both within and outside Croatian borders, and with the Yugoslav army, which also encouraged and armed Serbian aggression. The conflict lasted from 1991 until 1995 and is known here in Croatia as the Homeland War. Finally, through the efforts of the international community and UN forces, a negotiated settlement was reached in 1995.
Croatia now looks forward and has done a brilliant job of repairing the physical damage to the main towns, although there is plenty of evidence left in ruined buildings inland. However, every opportunity is taken to remind residents and visitors of the aggression perpetrated by Croatia’s neighbours. But Croatia does not come out with a clean slate; all sides have been called to answer charges of ethnic cleansing, another name for genocide.