From 1992-1995 the former Yugoslav republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina experienced genocidal crimes that has not been seen on the continent of Europe since World War II.  Ethnic hatred, which had begun over seven hundred years ago had finally climaxed in the Balkan Peninsula.  War raged between Serbia and Croatia for total control of the Balkans.  In the middle of this fight was Bosnia-Herzegovina, which was home to Serbs, Croatians, and Muslims. 

     For centuries the people of Bosnia had been looking for a ethnic identity that was their very own.  The majority of the population of Bosnia-Herzegovina consists of Bosnian Serbs, Bosnian Croats, and Bosnian Muslims.  The Bosnian Muslim population was created when the Ottoman Turks invaded the Balkans in the 15th century and Bosnian Croats and Serbs converted to Islam in large numbers.  In doing so a new ethnic group was established in Bosnia that would forever experience hatred by Serbs and Croats alike for their conversion to Islam.

     The hatred of Bosnian Muslims finally reached its peak in 1992 when the Bosnian Serb, Croat, and Muslim population fought for control of Bosnia.  The Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Muslims where supported by Croatia and the Bosnian Serbs were supported by Serbia.  As fighting continued for control of Bosnia the Bosnian Serb Army under the command of Ratko Mladic committed genocidal crimes upon Bosnian Muslims.  Death camps were created and mass killings occurred.  Torture, rape, and mass graves were common throughout Bosnia where large populations of Muslims existed.  It was the goal of the Bosnian Serb Army to rid Bosnia of all Muslims because they were a disgrace to the Slavic race for converting to Islam. 

     In total over 200,000 Bosnian Muslims were executed by the Bosnian Serb Army, which was taking orders from the Bosnian Serb President Karadzic and  Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.  The Bosnian War lasted from 1992 to 1995.  At the Dayton Peace Accord in 1995 the Bosnian War officially came to an end.  Bosnia was split up into two republics that would be ruled by a national Bosnian government.  The first republic is called the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is ruled by Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Muslims.  The second republic is called the Republic of Srpska, which is ruled by Bosnian Serbs.

     Even though Bosnia-Herzegovina is a united country there still is ethnic tensions within its borders.  The country still is not totally united and remains an area of Europe where genocidal crimes could occur again.  Radovan Karadzic, Ratko Mladic, Slobodan Milosevic and many other Serb military leaders have been indicted on crimes of genocide during the Bosnian War. 

    In this website information about the history of the Bosnian people along with their differences will give vital information in understanding how and why genocide occurred in Bosnia.