Yugoslavia's Bloody Collapse: Causes, Course and Consequences

by Christopher Bennett

An incisive and revealing history of how Yugoslavia plunged into violence in the 1990s

Over the past two years, the entire world watched in horror as one of Europe's most stable countries plunged into an orgy of violence and bloodshed that has invoked comparisons to the Holocaust. Aside from empty threats and diplomatic hand wringing, the West has done little to stop the ethnic cleansing, the sieges, and the brutality that has characterized the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Contrary to common wisdom, the hyper-violent disintegration of the former Yugoslavia is not simply and exclusively the product of inherent and irrational ethnic animosities and centuries of strife. In this engaging book, journalist Christopher Bennett traces the turning point to the 1987 struggle within the Serbian Communist party which was between adherents of a Serb nationalist ideology -embodied by Slobodan Milosevic- and the other Yugoslavs who clung to the vision of a multinational state. As soon as Milosevic gained the upper hand, he ruthlessly purged his rivals and launched a massive campaign of media indoctrination to stir up Serb nationalism. This new nationalism, which has repelled the world since 1991, is primarily Milosevic's creation and not merely the result of historical enmity. As a student at two different Yugoslav universities in the 1980's, Bennett witnessed firsthand many if the critical events which contributed to Yugoslavia's destruction. He renders an incisive and accessible history, covering the period from Tito's dictatorship to the present day.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

296 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 1995

Reviews

[Boris Cesnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a surprisingly thorough and detailed summary of births, lives and deaths of one too many or too few Yugoslavias.

Only a skilled historian could have packed so many logical facts, histories, stories, figures, dates, causes and consequences to help explain the geopolitical history of this country in just 250 pages and not reading like an academically boring manual.
A highly recommended achievement that should serve as a precious introduction before digging your teeth into The Death of Yugoslavia by Laura Silber and Allan Little.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent high-level study of a brutal conflict under-represented in print. From the brutal occupation by the Ottoman Empire to the bitter wars of the nineties fueled by racial and religious hatred.

This book stops before more recent events in Kosovo and NATO involvement, but is none the less a comprehensive snapshot of modern Yugoslavia.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very concise and well organized book that seemed to sum up the whole of the Serbian dillema from the beginning and up to the present with Kosovo. It was great for my paper. I especially liked how he showed how Milosevic used the historical identity of Serbia to ignite a nationalistic movement that went too far.

[Red · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative read for me. I knew little about the conflict at all, and it gives you the general overview. If your looking for information on battles or other tragic events that took place, look elsewhere. A easy read and engaging.

[Ptjerónimo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Embora peque por alguma ingenuidade traduzida na clara parcialidade pró-albanesa e não tenha sido escrito com a necessária distância temporal em relação aos acontecimentos que descreve e analisa, é um livro bem documentado e de leitura muito útil.