After the death of Josip Broz Tito, rising nationalism grips Yugoslavia. This is exacerbated after Slobodan Milosevic takes power in Serbia and turns against the Kosovar Albanians.
Serbs in Croatia feel threatened by Croatia's newly elected President and they begin a Log Revolution. In 1991, Croatia holds an independence referendum. The Battle of Vukovar is the first major battle in the Croatian War of Independence.
Slovenia and Croatia soon declare their independence and ask for international recognition. But Belgrade (the capital of both Serbia and Yugoslavia) does not see it this way because this means the collapse of Yugoslavia.
After the war between Serbia and Croatia ends with the signing of an agreement, Serbia involves itself in Bosnia where a lot is at stake. Here begins the longest and the most tragic part of the conflict.
The situation in Bosnia worsens, there is further conflict between the Serb and Bosnian forces. There is increasing UN involvement and NATO steps in. The Bosnians and Croats reach a treaty mediated by the UN, whilst another falls through.
Croatia recaptures most of the territory of the Republic of Serbian Krajina. Bosnian Serb forces commit massacres. NATO forces the Bosnian Serbs to return to negotiations. The Dayton Agreement effectively ends the Bosnian war.
