The Balkan Conflict & Its Solutions PDF Download

Author: Franjo Štiblar
Publisher:
ISBN: 9789616447294
Category : Balkan Peninsula
Languages : en
Pages : 444

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Author: Pinar Yürür
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN: 1498599206
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327

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Book Description
The situation in the Balkans, such as the solution to the status of Kosovo, is currently the largest international political problem in Europe, with the potential to burst into a world crisis regarding the Eastern - Western relations. On the other hand, a successful solution to the problem in the Balkans could serve as a model for solving the Muslim - Christian tensions elsewhere in the world. It is the intention of this book to contribute proposals for solutions to the problems of Balkans. The starting principle for the solutions to be effective is that they should come in a natural way from the people below and should not be enforced by the political elites from above. Based on self-determination of nations as a starting principle, they should encourage intra-regional cooperation among the regional entities (economic, cultural, sport, as a basis for political, social understanding and cooperation); secondly, accelerate their economic, political and social development and thirdly, as a final step enable the inclusion of the Balkan countries into the European Union.

Author: Igor Despot
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1475947038
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 308

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In the fall of 1912, the Ottoman Empire was in turmoil. In addition to the Albanian and the Yemen rebellions, the Empire was at war with Italy over the Libyan territory. Worse yet, cholera was spreading throughout the country, leaving a decimated population in its wake. In its weakness, the Ottoman Empire was ripe to be attacked, and the Balkan countries did so. On October 8, 1912, Montenegro declared war on the Ottoman Empire, beginning the first of the Balkan Wars. Embracing maturity and setting their differences aside, four nations joined together to form the Balkan League-Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, and Bulgaria. Despite the tremendous land victory celebrated by the Balkan League, disputes over dividing the won territory soon arose. Dissatisfied with its share of the Macedonia, Bulgaria attacked its former allies Serbia and Greece. On August 10, 1913, the Treaty of Bucharest ended the second conflict, but it did not bring the peace. In the First World War, which was initiated by Sarajevo assassination, Balkan again became theater of the war. The Balkan wars have been a popular topic for scholarly research since their resolution. Despite the attention this topic has received, however, the research is far from complete. In this study contributing to the documentation and understanding of this conflict, author Igor Despot has not only reviews the events of the wars, but also considers these events in light of pertinent cultural aspects, identifying the commonalities and differences that may have determined alliances or sparked conflict throughout Balkan history.

Author: Roger D. Petersen
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1139503308
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages :

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Conflicts involve powerful experiences. The residue of these experiences is captured by the concept and language of emotion. Indiscriminate killing creates fear; targeted violence produces anger and a desire for vengeance; political status reversals spawn resentment; cultural prejudices sustain ethnic contempt. These emotions can become resources for political entrepreneurs. A broad range of Western interventions are based on a view of human nature as narrowly rational. Correspondingly, intervention policy generally aims to alter material incentives ('sticks and carrots') to influence behavior. In response, poorer and weaker actors who wish to block or change this Western implemented 'game' use emotions as resources. This book examines the strategic use of emotion in the conflicts and interventions occurring in the Western Balkans over a twenty-year period. The book concentrates on the conflicts among Albanian and Slavic populations (Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia, South Serbia), along with some comparisons to Bosnia.

Author: Andre Gerolymatos
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0786724579
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 320

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When it comes to the Balkans, most people quickly become lost in the quagmire of struggle and intractable hatred that consumes that ancient land today. Many assume that the genesis of the past ten years of atrocity in the region might have had something to do with Tito and his repressive Yugoslav regime, or perhaps with the assassination of Franz Ferdinand in 1914. The seeds were really planted much, much earlier, on a desolate plain in Kosovo in 1389, when the Serbian Prince Lazar and his army clashed with and were defeated by the Ottoman forces of Sultan Murad I. In this riveting new history of the Balkan peoples, Andréerolymatos explores how ancient events engendered cultural myths that evolved over time, gaining psychic strength in the collective consciousnesses of Orthodox Christians and Muslims alike. In colorful detail, we meet the key figures that instigated and perpetuated these myths-including the assassin/heroes Milos Obolic and Gavrilo Princip and the warlord Ali Pasha. This lively survey of centuries of strife finally puts the modern conflicts in Bosnia and Kosovo into historical context, and provides a long overdue account of the origins of ethnic hatred and warmongering in this turbulent land.

Author: William Johnsen
Publisher: Createspace Independent Pub
ISBN: 9781480218352
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 142

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After having been fueled by the events of the distant and recent past, the current wars in the former Yugoslavia finally may be grinding to a halt. An understanding of that past, and of how history and myth combine to influence the present and help to define the future in the Balkans, is no less relevant today than it was two years ago when the original version of this monograph was published. Events of the intervening years have largely validated the insights and conclusions offered in the initial report. That said, strategic conditions have evolved, and two years of additional study and analysis provide a greater understanding of the long-term roots of conflict in the Balkans, as well as a firmer grasp of the proximate historical factors that contributed to the outbreak of violence. Despite the revisions, the focus of the monograph remains on the tangled history of the region, and how policy options fit into the larger historical context that has influenced, and will continue to affect, the course of events in the Balkans. The primary purpose of this monograph is not to argue for or against U.S. military intervention in the former Yugoslavia or elsewhere in the Balkans. The main intent is to garner insights through historical examination that will shed light on the long-standing bases of the ongoing conflicts in the region. Some might question the relevancy of an historical exploration when the first European war since 1945 engulfs the former Yugoslavia and threatens to spill over to other parts of the Balkans. The purpose of historical study, however, is not simply to understand the past, but to inform the present and, hopefully, prepare for the future. Nor is this report simply an academic exercise. Proponents of single-issue solutions, such as "surgical" air strikes, economic sanctions, lifting the arms embargo, or enforcement of "no-fly" zones neither comprehend the complexities of the issues involved nor address the root causes of conflict. Policymakers and analysts should seek, instead, comprehensive solutions to the multiple, interwoven sources of the conflict. As anyone familiar with problem solving understands, a comprehensive solution first requires a definition of the fundamental nature of the problem. Without an adequate understanding of the problem and its ramifications, proposed solutions may not address issues adequately to ensure resolution. Moreover, what on first consideration seems a relatively straight-forward solution may actually prove counterproductive when implemented. The intent of this report is also to get beyond the emotional headlines of the day and to open the eyes of policymakers to local perceptions; as everyone should know, perception is reality in the eyes of the beholder. An understanding of perceptions will also help policymakers grapple with the underlying currents which run so deep in the Balkans and avoid the pitfall of mirror imaging their own ideas, values, and perceptions onto a radically different culture. Only through an understanding of these conditions can policymakers make informed decisions on the best ends, ways, and means to resolve the situation. As importantly, historical example may offer potential insights into second or third order consequences that may result from any decisions. In this revised monograph, the first four chapters that provide the historical examination of the Balkan enigma remain substantially unchanged. The last chapter of the original version has been expanded into three chapters. Chapter 5 first offers insights that are drawn from the first portion of the report. Because the passage of time has foreclosed some alternatives, and the changed strategic conditions have created the possibility for new options to be examined, the policy assessments that are now Chapter 6 have been substantially rewritten. Similarly, a new Chapter 7, Conclusions, contains revised reflections on the preceding analysis.

Author: Captivating History
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781637164600
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 138

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Did you know that the Balkan Peninsula is often referred to as the "powder keg of Europe?" It was a term devised in the early 20th century to describe the unstable political situation in the region just before it exploded into a conflict known as the First World War. The Balkan Wars were a series of conflicts fought between the Balkan League (Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro) and its allies and the Ottoman Empire. But these wars didn't involve any of the great European powers such as Germany, France, or the United Kingdom. This is what makes them less known, but they were crucial for the development of the European political scene. The Balkan Wars were first fought for ethnic groups that were ruled by the Ottoman Empire so they could gain their complete independence and expand their territory. Looking up to the successful western states, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece wanted to achieve national states with a territory that would gather all their ethnic brothers into one state. But the legacy of the Ottoman Empire lives on in the multiethnic hodgepodge of the Balkan Peninsula. Unlike Westerners, the Ottomans considered their faith to be the uniting factor, not the idea of belonging to a nation. This belief created the complex situation in the Balkans that lasts to this day. To understand this part of Europe, one must look into the past and understand the obscure and complex conflicts that are known as the Balkan Wars. This book will take you into the past and show you how it all started, from the creation of the Balkan League to the Bucharest Peace Conference. Read Captivating History's The Balkan Wars to understand the origins of the conflict, as well as: The national aspirations of the Balkan people How Bulgaria gained independence just to lose it against its will The creation of the Balkan League How Bulgarians pushed the Ottomans out of Thrace and Europe How they lost Macedonia, their ultimate goal, in the process The role of the Greek navy in the Balkan Wars How Greece took Thessaly and its main prize, the Port of Thessaloniki Why the Montenegrins were tied to Serbia and what their role in the war was Why Serbia and Greece agreed on an alliance Why Romania and the Ottoman Empire jumped into the conflict How it all ended with a peace treaty signed in Bucharest and Constantinople Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the Balkan Wars, scroll up and click the "add to cart" button!

Author: Philip Jowett
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN: 184908419X
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 50

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In 1912, the Balkan states formed an alliance in an effort to break free from the crumbling Ottoman Empire. Forming an army of some 645,000 troops from Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenego, they took on a force of 400,000 Turkish soldiers. Both sides were equipped with the latest weapons technology. This book looks at the diverse and sometimes colourful uniforms worn by both sides, paying special attention to insignia, weapons and equipment. It also gives an overview of the campaigns that became a 'priming pan' of World War I.

Author: R. Craig Nation
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781312339750
Category : Education
Languages : en
Pages : 406

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Armed conflict on the territory of the former Yugoslavia between 1991 and 2001 claimed over 200,000 lives, gave rise to atrocities unseen in Europe since the Second World War, and left behind a terrible legacy of physical ruin and psychological devastation. Unfolding against the background of the end of cold war bipolarity, the new Balkan wars sounded a discordant counterpoint to efforts to construct a more harmonious European order, were a major embarrassment for the international institutions deemed responsible for conflict management, and became a preoccupation for the powers concerned with restoring regional stability. After more than a decade of intermittent hostilities the conflict has been contained, but only as a result of significant external interventions and the establishment of a series of de facto international protectorates, patrolled by UN, NATO, and EU sponsored peacekeepers with open-ended mandates.

Author: Department of Defense (DoD)
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781520771212
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 61

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The violence of Yugoslavia is soaked in historical injustice and nationalist tradition. Its historical mold is not unique; but the world's reaction is. The ongoing failure of Yugoslavia and its fractious cascade of regime changes are a product of flawed intervention. United States intervention failed because it opted for termination determined by strategic ways rather than resolution to meet strategic ends. The failure of Yugoslavia presents a model for flawed intervention and the instability achieved through the intrusion of sovereignty. This analysis follows a framework of examining the failure of U.S. intervention in Yugoslavia in three parts: (1) the developmental history that create the conditions for the latest Balkan War; (2) reasons and results of U.S. intervention; (3) strategic implications for similar interventions. The West intervened in the Yugoslavian conflict in the early 1990's to satisfy the interests of stability and alliances. This conflict remains unresolved in a hellish state of not-at-war and not-at-peace. No party considers the multiple peace agreements as just, an aspect that denies the enduring aspects of resolution. Truce without peace, or peace at any price defined the political logic of resolution. The West failed, its intervention first too slow and then later too brash. This occurred because the West developed a termination solution that failed to address the root causes of the war. The break-up of Yugoslavia was not caused by ancient hatreds or virulent nationalism. Nor did one historical villain perpetuate a war. It took several villains to exploit Yugoslavia's fatal flaws. The purpose of this analysis is to assess the efficacy of US Balkan intervention against the causes of the latest Balkan war. Resolution did not occur because the incentive of war was not exhausted. Its flaws were formalized in settlements that formalized ethnic divisions. These anachronistic solutions of ethnic distinction have been proven ineffective throughout Balkan history. This end had no prospect of success. The legacy of Yugoslavia is a requiem of injustice sustained by violent intervention. Contrary to many contemporary interpretations, the Balkan model of violent instability is neither rooted in ancient hatreds nor ethnocentrism. Instead, Balkan violence is the product of a contrived exploitation of the fears of internal and external marginalization. The potential of moderating elements has been arrested by ethno-centrist political maneuver. The unsolved questions of sovereignty, self-determination and nation further aggravate a maligned history. The region has attempted all forms of government, and none has survived. There is one commonality, until now its structures have always been the product of external intervention. Governments have been imposed but have never grown. Its history is a wound that has allowed no stage for democracy and has forfeited the promise of self-determination and sovereignty.