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| Courtesy: Encyclopaedia Britannica (Click on image to enlarge) |
Yugoslavia was one of the countries very familiar to Indians once upon a time.
Its Communist ruler Josip Tito was among the leaders, alongside India's Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, who played a key role in the setting up of the Non-Aligned Movement or popularly called NAM.
NAM, established in Yugoslavia's capital Belgrade in 1961, wasn't formally aligned to either the West bloc led by the US or the East bloc led by the once-mighty USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics) or the Soviet Union.
Late 1980s and early 1990s were tumultuous times.
The biggest event then was the collapse of the USSR, with its impact felt worldwide including in India (the privatisation of Indian economy in 1991).
Yugoslavia -- which comprised six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia -- was one of the first countries in East Europe to be impacted by the breakup of the USSR.
One by one constituents of Yugoslavia began declaring independence, starting with Slovenia and Croatia in 1991.
The Yugoslav Wars, which broke out among the republics, resulted in the deaths / massacre / genocide of hundreds of thousands of people.
Yugoslavia as a country was finally dissolved in 1992. But the ethnic tensions / violence / insurgency has continued.
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This post is part of the blogging challenge in April every year, wherein bloggers put up one post a day, from A to Z, every day except Sundays.
I'm participating in #BlogchatterA2Z. I am also on A2Z April Challenge.
I remember in high school (pre-breakup) a history teacher talking about how if the USSR weren't in control, the various groups would be infighting. And then it happened.
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteBoundaries and borders come and go and the people somehow keep going...but not without yearning and tears. (I always like the name Yugoslavia - it rolls from the tongue so well.) YAM xx
Y=Yamini
It is a tragedy, a beautiful country torn into several pieces. But they would have their own reasons.
ReplyDeleteNice reminder of a country I totally forgot about after leaving school.
ReplyDeleteThe Estern Europe has always been bleeding all throughout the history of mankind. Unfortunately history is repeating again and again because we are not learning any lessons from it.
ReplyDeleteHi Pradeep - that part of the world is full of interesting combative history... and I regret having never visited ... good on you for writing it up - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteI never knew these details about Yugoslavia (pardon my ignorance about worldly happenings) It does seem familiar to whatever happens always!
ReplyDeleteDropping by from a to z "The Pensive"
Pradeep, you gave a really good history lesson in a short span. I didn't realize Yugoslavia was completely torn apart.
ReplyDeleteyevhen