The National Conflict in Croatia

Abstract

The Yugoslavian tragedy has, at the time of writing, lasted half a decade. Following the short and limited war in Slovenia in the end of June 1991, a full-scale civil war was fought in Croatia in the second half of 1991. In March 1992 violent national conflict also broke out in Bosnia-Hercegovina. And in May and August 1995 the still unresolved conflict between the Croats and the Krajina Serbs escalated into war once again as the Croats took advantage of the breathing space provided by the overlay of the UN peacekeeping force. Thus, employing their now relatively strong army, the Croats succeeded in regaining control over the territory of the self-proclaimed RSK (Republic of Serbian Krajina). And once again the civil population came to bear the brunt of the sufferings — some 160 000 Krajina Serbs fled towards the Serbian-controlled regions in Bosnia and towards Serbia proper. In this chapter we examine the underlying reasons why the national conflict between the Croats and the Serbian minority in Croatia was so intensive.