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The beginning of the end
Tito, the leader of Yugoslavia and the "glue" of the country, dies. Without his tight control over ethnic tensions, nationalist differences begin to boil up. -
Dragan Vasiljkovic
He creates a paramilitary group comprised of Serbs who would become known as the Kninjas and Red Berets. In September of this year, he establishes the Captain Dragan Foundation to raise funds and provide aid and relief to victims of war. this is so he stands as a candidate for the presidency against Milosevic. -
The Start of Conflict
Slovenia and Croatia declare independence. In response to Slovenia, the Yugoslav army responds with force and over 10 days the two countries are at war. About 100 people have been killed before the European Union brokers a ceasefire. The Yugoslav army withdraws. Then war breaks out immediately upon Croatia’s declaration of independence. Serbs join Croatian Serbs in the east of the country to expel Croats in Yugoslavia. -
UN steps in
The United Nations administers a truce between the two sides and sets up four protected areas in Croatia. Many Croatians are left as refugees forced out of the Serb-controlled Republic of Serbian Krajina. Croatia becomes involved in the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina drawing out people from all ethnicities to fight. -
New Plan
The Captain Dragan Foundation claims to be the largest non-government organization in Serbia. This would play a bigger role later in the conflict. -
Croatia Strikes
Croatia launches a full-scale attack known as Operation Storm to recover all the Serb-held areas in Krajina. This forces the Serbs to leave the Serb held areas. -
Refugees Flee the Scene
The end of the war sees refugees and victims of war flood the streets of Belgrade. Many seek assistance from the Captain Dragan Foundation. -
Same Ruler Different Day
Milosevic becomes the President of Yugoslavia. A separatist group calling itself the Kosovo Liberation Army emerges. There is an open conflict between the KLA and the Serb police. The KLA or Kosovo Liberation Army was an ethnic-Albanian separatist militia that sought the separation of Kosovo from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and Serbia during the 1990s -
KLA vs Serb Police
There is open and brutal fighting between Serb police and KLA operatives. Civilians are caught up in the conflict and suffer severe repercussions and casualties. NATO gives President Milosevic an ultimatum in September to halt the violent crackdown on Kosovo Albanians. -
Another Ultimatum
NATO issues an ultimatum and forces Serb and Kosovo Albanians to sit down to peace talks. These fail and NATO launches air strikes against Yugoslavia which lasts for 78 days until finally, Belgrade yields. Arrangements are made and agreed to for a Serb withdrawal from Kosovo. Ethnic Albanians begin flooding back into Kosovo and within three weeks more than 600,000 have returned in one of the fastest refugee returns in history.