Conflict in the Former Yugoslavia: An Encyclopedia [Library Binding]

John B. Allcock (Editor), Marko Milivojevic (Editor), John J. Horton (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1998 | ISBN-10: 0874369355 | ISBN-13: 978-0874369359

The demise of Yugoslavia resulted in a savage internal conflict that confounded European efforts to prevent it. Intense and often instantaneous media coverage tended to produce a confusing maze of images and impressions. This timely, easy to use reference work surveys the origins, development, people, places, events, concepts, treaties, and agreements pertaining to the conflict in the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Allcock and his colleagues (South East European studies, Univ. of Bradford, U.K.) have created a valuable reference tool for all scholars of the Balkans. The breadth of entries provides much information about Yugoslavia's successor states as well as the wars attending their creation. Attention to Socialist Yugoslavia is less complete, and some entries may be annoying; how could organized rape as a tool of warfare not be "sensationalized" by media nor its report fail to "demonize the enemy"? But on the whole, treatment is balanced. Some of the best entries include brief and competent biographies, significant geostrategic place names, and concepts such as "recognition" and "peace movements" often neglected in accounts of the war. The authors clearly explain the versions of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) I and II, United Nations Preventive Development Force (UNPREDF), and Implementation/ Stabilization Force (I/SFOR). Appendixes include a comprehensive chronology, maps, and the text of the Dayton Accords. For academic and larger public libraries.AZachary T. Irwin, Pennsylvania State Univ., Erie
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Here is an outstanding reference resource in which a wide array of entries deepen our knowledge of a vital contemporary issue. Three British specialists on the region have brought together 26 other colleagues, mainly from United Kingdom institutions, to provide insight on one of the major conflicts of the 1990s. The 500 entries cover political, military, geographical, historical, economic, social, and cultural matters. Biographical entries and entries on small communities caught up in the fighting help personalize the tragedy. The material is current through 1997.

The alphabetically arranged, signed entries include see and see also references. Entries are usually one paragraph but longer when necessary; political parties is seven pages. Twelve black-and-white maps at the beginning of the volume and many photos throughout the text add a visual dimension to the clearly written, accurate information. Although the focus is on the current period, sufficient background and analysis, such as in the article on Communist leader Tito, bring the past into the present.

An extensive bibliography includes 1998 titles; a 38-page chronology from 1941 to 1997 presents events in the country and surrounding world. This powerful resource will be useful in high-school, public, and academic libraries.

Product Details

• Library Binding: 448 pages
• Publisher: ABC-CLIO (December 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874369355
• ISBN-13: 978-0874369359
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.4 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,088,710 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Full of errors, misinterpreted facts, and false information, December 20, 1999

By 

Neven Jeremic (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conflict in the Former Yugoslavia: An Encyclopedia (Library Binding)

The idea behind writing this horribly amateuristic work was noble: to gather a large number of encyclopedic facts about the wars of Yugoslavian succession--something that would be useful to historians, journalists, politicians, and ordinary people.

Examples of gross errors and misrepresentations:

In one part of the book the main war protagonists are listed in the alphabetical order. Since one of the main characteristics of these wars has been their inhumanity, it is hard to believe that most of those currently or previously imprisoned at the Scheveningen prison (awaiting the trial at the Hague war crimes tribunal) are not listed. But those who are listed are sometimes listed on the wrong side, as is the case with Rasim Delic (Bosnian army), who is listed as "a veteran of the JNA Vukovar campaign." Vukovar was, of course, besieged by the Serbians, but the authors missed that one.

One of the most infamous Serbian warlords, Seselj, is listed as having been born in 1941 (false). The birth year is sometimes not even presented, as in the case of Blagoje Adzic, who was not even a teenager in 1941, so it's hard to believe that he was in the Partisans, as the authors claim.

The authors glorify Muhamed Filipovic, the former ambassador to London, to the point of making the reader think that Filipovic himself was the source of those entries. However, since there too are numerous errors present, it's probably the case that the authors themselves decided that "during 1992 MBO [Filipovic's Muslim Bosniak Organization] joined a small liberal party [headed by Kadic] and formed LBO, which to this day remains a true voice of non-secular Bosniaks." Considering that Kadic's liberals are still well and alive on the political spectrum of Bosnia, while LBO didn't even manage to gather sufficient votes to enter the Parliament the last time around, I wonder where and how the authors gathered their "encyclopedic" info.

The authors showcase their ignorance when they say that ex-Yugoslavian nations were shunned at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, where "Yugoslavian nations were suspended and barred from participating." So who was the audience at the opening ceremony so warmly greeting? Some impersonators posing for the Bosnian Olympic Committee and delegation? Also, the very real successes of the 1992 Croatian Olympic basketball team is also in the virtual realm. Hmmm...

The connection between Thessaloniki in Greece and the Serbian desire for access to the Adriatic is lost on all but the authors. If the Serbians wanted access to the sea through this Greek port, they would have surely not attacked Dubrovnik, and would have directed their mortars to Greece.

Even maps are sometimes inaccurate. On one of the maps Mostar is entirely within the Croatian territory and it doesn't even border the Bosnian territory, while it's totally emerged in the Bosnia entity on the next map.

It is a shame that this horrific book got a favorable review, if only because those reviewing it lack the background to verify the claims presented by the authors. If your interest is the break-up of Yugoslavia, there are much finer works out there.

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Book written full of wrong data, December 20, 1999

By 

Tarik Makota - See all my reviews

This review is from: Conflict in the Former Yugoslavia: An Encyclopedia (Library Binding)

First of all Lukavica isnt in the center of Sarajevo as this book says. Secondly, the procenteges used to describe population are reverted and incorrect.

Very purly and badly written book. It will just confuse you.

I was born in Sarajevo, and lived there until 1995 so i was 'living' situation this book tries to portrait and fails at evry aspect of it.