The Yugoslav Wars (2): Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia 1992–2001

Osprey Elite #146

by Nigel Thomas, K Mikulan, Darko Pavlović (Illustrator)

Osprey's examination of Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia's involvement in the Yugoslav Wars (1991-1995), as well as their involvement in the conflicts of the years that followed. Following the death of the Yugoslavian strongman President Tito in 1980, the several semi-autonomous republics and provinces that he had welded into a nation in 1945 moved inexorably towards separation. As the world watched a series of wars ripped through this modern European state. In this second of two volumes, experts on the Balkan region give an unprecedented, clear and concise explanation of the armies of the the Bosnian Civil War 1992-5 as well as the conflicts in Kosovo and Macedonia. This includes the regular and militia forces which fought in these campaigns and which ultimately resulted in the UN/NATO policing of the region that continues to this day. The book is illustrated with rare photos and an extraordinary range of colour uniform plates.

Genres: History, Military History

64 pages, Paperback

First published November 28, 2006

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second volume of the Yugoslav War. The first book dealt with combat action inside Slovenia and Croatia (to include the unrecognized Republic of Serb Krajina, which was inside Croatia proper). This book also presents the information clear, concise, and without bias. These books are aimed at strictly presenting the information and not taking political nor argumentative stances.

This volume deals with combat actions inside Bosnia, Kosovo, and Macedonia from 1992-2001. The book opens with Bosnia's three internal military forces: the Territorial Defense Forces (Teritorijalna Odbrana, TO) and their transition into the Bosnian Army (Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine, ARBiH), the Republika Srpska Army (Vojska Republike Srpske, VRS) and militias (like the Serb Volunteer Guard), and the Croatian Defense Council (Hrvatsko Vijece Obrane, HVO) and their subunits (like the Ustasha-inspired HOS).

The book details battle order, rank insignias, uniforms and equipment are explained to the respective forces. The war in Bosnia is explained, the conflict in Kosovo between Yugoslav Interior Ministry forces and the Kosovo Liberation Army (Ushtria Clirimtare e Kosoves, UCK) is examined, and briefly mentioned in the Kosovo-Albanian spill-over against neighboring Macedonia in 1999-2001.

Again in this book contains eight pages of detailed full-color artwork showing uniforms and insignias of the following forces: Bosnian-Serb, Bosnian-Muslim, Bosnian-Croat, ethnic Albanian, Kosovo-Albanian, and Macedonian. This book contains maps and lot of pictures as well. I highly recommend this one because it's a great primer to anyone interested in the modern-era Yugoslav Wars. Thanks!