Bosnia               

Bosnia, located in the Bosnia and Herzegovina region of the world is a fascinating nation with a rich history. The name “Bosnia” is derived from the Bosna river which cuts through the region. Herzegovina takes its name from the word herceg, which designated the duke who ruled the southern part of the region until the Ottoman invasion in the fifteenth century. Bosnia is in the southeastern Europe on the Balkan Peninsula, bordering Slovenia to the northwest Croatia Montenegro to the south and southwest; it has a tiny coastline along the Adriatic sea.

Historically, Bosnia a nation with many issues including the Balkan wars started World War 1. The Balkan wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe in 1912 and 1913. Four Balkan states defeated the Ottoman Empire of the four, Bulgaria, was defeated in the second war. The Ottoman Empire lost nearly all of its holdings in Europe. Austria-Hungary, although not an combatant, was weakened as a much enlarged Serbia pushed for union of the south Slavic peoples. The war set the stage for the Balkan crisis of 1914 and thus was a “prelude to the first world war.”

In modern times, Bosnia faces a new problem particularly the Serbian slaughter of many Bosnians. In April 1992, the government of the Yugoslav republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina declared its independence from Yugoslavia. Over the next several years Bosnian Serb-dominated YugoSlav army, targeted both Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim)and Croatian civilians for atrocious crimes resulting in the deaths of some 100,000 people (80 percent Bosniak) by 1995. It was the worst act of genocide since Nazi regime’s destruction of some 6 million European Jews during WWII.

In addition, the Balkan wars of Bosnia is similar and different to the Serbian slaughter many  Bosnians. The Bosnian wars and the Serbian slaughter are similar because it involved the same people and it split the countries apart.There different because the Balkan wars is not considered a genocide unlike the Serbian slaughter.

In conclusion, I have compared and contrasted in my essay a historical issue and a current issue of Bosnia. The Balkan wars were the start of WW1. Also, the Serbian slaughter was considered was the worst act of genocide since Nazi regime’s destruction of some 6 million European Jews during WWII. Bosnia is a country with a rich history.