Faculty Sponsor
Chris Schiessl
Final Abstract for URS Program
During the twilight hours of the Cold War, Yugoslavia was thrown into a full-blown political and economic crisis that resulted in its dissolution. Long-simmering ethnic tensions boiled over as former Yugoslav republics began declaring independence. After its secession from Yugoslavia in 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina rapidly descended into a brutal war between Bosnian Muslim, Croat, and Serb ethnic groups. Serb troops engaged in widespread atrocities against Bosnian Muslims and Croats including mass murder, rape, and forced expulsion, which collectively amount to genocide. While UN peacekeepers were dispatched to establish safety zones in Bosnia and Herzegovina, their efforts were stymied by strict rules of engagement and a lack of air power. Most notably, at Srebrenica, Serb forces killed more than 8,000 unarmed Bosnian men and boys, many of whom were handed over by Dutch peacekeepers. The genocide was ultimately ended after a vigorous air campaign led by the United States and its NATO allies in 1995 gave way to peace negotiations in Dayton, Ohio. The Bosnian war reflects how international efforts to prevent and end genocide are often hobbled by bureaucracy, a lack of political will, and poorly supported peacekeepers.
Presentation Type
Visual Presentation
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
April 2023
Included in
European History Commons, Human Rights Law Commons, International Relations Commons, Military History Commons