Yugoslavia Dissolves
The war in Yugoslavia officially began in 1990. Slovenia in the north became an independent nation in 1991 following a ten day war that quickly removed the Serb army from their territory. Slovenia had strong ties to the West, a strong economy, and stable democratic government that allowed the country to develop international relationships that led to membership in the United Nations in 1992, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union in 2004.
When Croatia made it clear that it also was going to create a new nation, military action began as Serb generals led the Yugoslav army against the new Croatian army. With the opening of war, Yugoslavia faced massive human rights violations. The wide spread violation of human rights reached its most intense levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
By 1992, the war that had been fought between Croatia and Serbia turned to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was the most ethnically diversified republic. The Croats and Serbs had already agreed to divide Bosnia and Herzegovina between them before this stage of the war began.
The efforts of the Serbs failed and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was removed as a member of the United Nations in 1992.
Although the focus turned to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serb army remained in parts of Croatia. There was sporadic and intense fighting for several years, but it was not until 1998 and with the help of the United Nations the last of the Serb army left.
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