Introduction

In 1990 the Republic of Yugoslavia destabilized following the death of Marshal Tito and the collapse of the Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact, and civil war broke out between the ethnically and socially diverse areas. The European Community tried to intervene to bring the fighting to an end but failed and eventually the UN was forced to intervene. UNPROFOR was established in 1992 but failed to make any real impact as it was meant to keep the peace where no peace existed.

When the UN found itself outgunned and without support, NATO was brought into support UNPROFOR and later replaced UNPROFOR. NATO's intervention and the aggressive use of artillery by the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps led to the Dayton Accord of November 1995.

The Accord saw NATO enforcing the peace with the Implementation Force (IFOR) and then the Stabilization Force (SFOR). The NATO presence in the former Yugoslavia continues into the 21st century.