The Bosnian War

The Bosnian War, which took place in the early 1990's, was a bloody war that resulted in millions of deaths. There were war criminals, crimes against men, women and children, and there was mass-genocide of Muslims. Taking place in countries that formerly made up Yugoslavia, the Croatians, Bosnians, and Serbs fought in a war that is called by some a most "gruesome mistake." 

(What used to be) Yugoslavia

After Political conflicts in Yugoslavia in the late 80's, ethnic-conflicts that had remained smoothed by the old dictator of the country once again wrinkled. General Tito died in 1980. He had previously held a doctrine of silencing all forms of Nationalism. He would remind every country that they must remain united. However, as soon as he was gone, Nationalistic propaganda began cropping up in Serbia and Croatia. Do to this and a government that was much more tolerant of this idea, issues blossomed. Nationalism is what caused the mass genocide of Muslim-Bosniaks. 

Due to years of these little countries being united in Yugoslavia, there had been a great mixing between the ethnic groups. While traditionally Serbians were Orthodox, Croats were Catholic, and Bosnians were Orthodox and also Muslim, Croats might marry Bosnians, or Serbs might marry Croats, ect. However, during the war, there was a call to remove all of the Muslim-bosniaks from Bosnia. While Serbs consider it a Civil-war, Croats and Bosniaks called it genocide. While Croats recognized it as not-a-civil-war, they still didn't step in to help stop the murder. An estimated 82% of the civilians killed were muslims. Aside from the shootings and battles fought in cities, there were also concentration camps that people were put into. These camps were horrendous in conditions, with women being put into Rape-camps. Personally, the thought of something like this happening is absolutely terrifying. All this was due to the idea spreading idea of extreme Nationalism. 

A city destroyed by the war

The war lasted from 1992-95. The bloodshed continued until finally NATO dropped bombs and stepped to help. It didn't officially end until the leaders of the countries met in Ohio, USA and signed a peace agreement. Still, the effects of the war lingered on. Men who had been in the concentration camps were given money, and land, and a way to recover and get on their feet. However, women had nothing given to them. These women who had everything, including their dignity, striped from them were not recognized by the government. They were not given a way to recover, a way to take care of the children that had come as a result of these camps. In fact, many children were born, and many were abandoned or left at orphanages, while other mothers kept their child but hid the truth from them. It wasn't until many brave women shared stories, or wrote books about the truth, which in turn caused many people to get involved, that the government finally had to grant them help. Likewise, cities were destroyed, and needed to be rebuilt. There were, and still are, lingering problems, like ghosts of the past, that needed to be taken care of. 

The Bosnian war was caused by extreme Nationalism in former Yugoslavian countries that led to a springing up of ethnic issues that eventually turned into a full scale genocide of Muslim-Bosniaks. There were leaders convicted of numerous, terrible war-crimes. There were people broken by the war: civilians who lost loved ones, ethnic groups who were nearly destroyed. However, the people are rebuilding. Twenty year have gone by, and it seems like many are forgiving the old grudges, and once again mixing groups. While Yugoslavia no longer exists, the unity the countries once shared is now overpowering the hatred they all used to have.