So, as I'm sure you've learned Yugoslavia is the former country made up of: Kosovo, Vojvodina, Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Macedonia.

The creation of Yugoslavia originates with the end of World War I when former territories of Austria-Hungaray merged with Serbia, then a Kingdom.

The Nazis formed their own Croat state which broke it apart, but it was liberated by a communist army. America then made it a top priority to preserve Yugoslavian Unity.

Yugoslavia remained communist [edited for spelling], but in the late 1940s it began drifting far from the Soviet bloc line. When the Non-Aligned Movement was founded in 1961, Yugoslavia was a founding member. This was when the government became less centralized and controlling. This was very different from the rest of East Euope at the time.

Now, through all this time Yugoslavia had a big cultural division. Religion, ethnicity, nationalism, WWII memories, etc. The country was always divisive and never truly united.

1974 comes around and the Constitution of Yugoslavia allowed for the mass decentrilation of the federal government. The power was going to be transitioned to the republics and provinces that made up the country. Tito, the ruler and liberator of Yugoslavia from the Nazis died in 1980 and the dissolution of federal power became even more effective.

The internal Republics were very... I don't want to say independent, but they were not strongly tied in the way you'd think of 'States within a State'. It lasted for awhile though.

Late 1980s, Communism in Europe collapses, Berlin wall comes down, and the Soviet Union is beginning to crumble. Big political shake up surrounding a not very strong country.

About that time, 1989, a Communist man called Milosevic, President of Serbia, used some ultra-nationalists to further his agenda. He wanted to add fuel to the fire of conflict in the other Republics. He succeeded in having Kosovo and Vojvodinia reunited with Serbia and created a puppet in Montenegro.

Things got challenging for Milosevic in 1990. The American National Intelligence Estimate that year informed policy makers that Yugoslavia's collapse was imminent, unavoidable, and should not attempt to be interfered with. They predicted the conflict would not become too violent. As usual, policy makers ignored the intelligence experts for their policy.

In 1990 Slovenia and Croatia had elections and non-communists gained majority in their governments. Slovenia declared independence shortly after. Then Croatia. Then Macedonia. Then Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1992.

But first, in 1991, the Yugoslovian army invaded Slovenia for about a week and half before leaving. Slovenia was effectively independent. Croatia was not so fortunate, as their movement for independence sparked conflict between local militia. Yugoslovian army once again intervened, but the war got very bloody.

With MAcedonia's declaration, the US led a peacekeeping force to the border with Serbia.

Now in 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence, but the Serbs in B&H wanted independence from B&H as well.

Croatia, Slovenia, and B&H joined the UN in 1992. Serbia and Montenegro formed a new Yugoslavia, but the UN would not recognize them.

The war in Croatia and B&H were the bulk of the conflict. The war was the worst fighting in Europe since WWII. In 1998 Kosovo fell into war as well. Albanians then began a movement for independence from Serbia. NATO intervened with bombings and economic pressure. UN tooks control of Kosovo.

Serbia's economy crumbled and Milosevic fell in 2001. He died in prison in 2006.

Montenegro voted for independence in 2006.

Kosovo has been independent since 2008.

Vojvodina remais part of Serbia.

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Good reads:

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1989-1992/breakup-yugoslavia

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwone/yugoslavia_01.shtml

http://www.britannica.com/place/Yugoslavia-former-federated-nation-1929-2003

Book: Yugoslavia: A History of its Demise

Book: Tito and the Rise and Fall of Yugoslavia