creation of yugoslavia

8/2/2019 Creation of Yugoslavia

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Yugoslav Question 08/04/2011 06:23:00

In Yugoslavia, nationalism is intertwined with religious, linguistic, cultural

and economic aspects

Yugoslavs do not constitute a distinct nationality The Serbs, Croats and Slovenes shared significant political and

geostrategic interest and economic aspirations they were

drawn towards each other in the late 19th Century.

Yugoslavism propounded a theory of common identity espoused by the

Southern Slavs

Yugoslavism deeply intertwined with Croatian, Serbian andSlovene nationalism but after WWII overshadowed them

Before the 20th century there was very little nationalism present here

because the nations were simply tools for the large empires (Habsburgand Ottoman) to extract economic resources and manpower from.

There was some movements around early 19th century, i.e. theFirst Yugoslav experiment (1830s and 1840s) but little

realisation of nation state boundaries.

Population mainly illiterate Gellner and Anderson, argumentthat literacy is essential to nationalism

Creation of Yugoslav State

Whilst not created by Versailles, the creation of the Yugoslav state did

owe its existence to 3 circumstances

Military victory of the Ententeo If Central Powers had won, no independent Yugoslavia

could emerge

o London Treaty of 1915 promised Italy substantial Yugoslavterritories

o By their adherence to Wilsonian principles, the Ententelegitimised the creation of Yugoslavia

Inability of Vienna to conclude a separate peace treaty in 1918 Wartime activities of Yugoslav leaders in the West

National and Regional Problems

Yugoslavian citizenship is not synonymous with Yugoslavian nationalism


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The Slovene feels himself to be first a Slovene and then aYugoslav etc.

Economic-cultural-political contest between Serbs and Croats served to

weaken the harmony of the state in the 1960s

but didnt destroy Yugoslavia


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Yugoslavia, 1804-1849 08/04/2011 06:23:00

Serbia 1804-1848

Initial revolt under Karadjordje was unsuccessful (1804), subsequent

revolt under Obrenovic was able to secure Ottoman recognition in 1830

Was of decisive importance to Serbian nationalismCommon linguistic bond was created between Croats and Serbians due to

the phonetic style of their language

Karadzic argued that everyone who spoke the Serbian dialectwas therefore Serb and as such all the lands were Serbian too.

o This was incorporated into the Serbian textbooks andpsyche

Croatia, 1790-1848

Croatian leaders had to fight to preserve their autonomy from Hungarian

pressure

New generations took over this national causeo The Illyrian movement Ljudevit Gajo Belief that all Blakan Slavs were descendents of the same

Illyrian race this basis existed for future political unityAgain influence of the Stokavian dialect being adopted in the intelligentsia

of Croatia, as in Serbia

1847 Croatian declared official language of the nationo in textbooks Croatians were urged to respect languages

and culture of the Serbs


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South Slav Conflict 08/04/2011 06:23:00

Serbian Nationalism

Bosnia and Herzegovina the primary goals but Macedonia and Old Serbia

also potential ideas.

Conflict with Bulgaria over Macedonia prompted war in 1885 Increased general awareness of the Serbian national program

despite the defeat of Serbia

This nationalism was fostered through Serbian ledership and through

state education

Came into conflict with Croats over national aspirations on territory.

Croatian Nationalism

Croatian nationalism fuelled by conflict with Serbs

Also by efforts of Khuen-Herdervary: he sought to thwartHungarian national goals such as the effort to unite Dalmatia

with Croatia-Slavonia

His regime catered to the Serbian interests of education andreligion in return for support

o His actions strengthened political sentiments and supportfor the Party of the Right

Croatians also concerned about the increasing population of Serbs in

Croatia following border readjustments of the population was Serbian

in 1881


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Re-emergence of Yugoslav Idea 08/04/2011 06:23:00

1. The death of Obrenovic of Serbia in a coup meant that the throne wentto Peter Karadjordjevic: more sympathetic to idea of South Slav

cooperation

2. In Croatia, Khuen-Gerervary was replaced as Ban after 2 decades oforchestrated hostility between the Croats and Serbs

3. New youth movements, mainly containing students, influenced bypeople such as Masaryk were urged towards Yugoslav idea.

Serbia 1903-1914

After the accession of the new dynasty in 1903, major attention of the

political leaders was directed towards the achievement of the national

programs The annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Austria was viewed as

a disaster

However, this was partially assuaged by the territorial gains inthe Balkan Wars of 1912-1913

o State now included Macedonia, Old Serbia and Kosovoo Led to the repetition in Vardar (popular editorial) that

Croatian and other South Slav lands were Serbian

First goal of the Black Hand organisation was the unification of Serbia

South Slav unity not even consideredMajority of the population was behind pan-Serbian goals

However, there were some groups who wanted South Slav unitybased on egalitarian concepts mainly student groups

On the other hand, there were those that were suspicious of the South

Slav concept.

Argued that it was possible that the South Slavs of the dualmonarchy would unite and this could lead to the potential

absorption of Serbia something both Croatia and Slovenia

favoured

There were still many differences between the nations

In Serbia the Latin alphabet wasnt taught in schools until 1914 The Gregorian calendar was not adopted until after WWII

Pasic was pragmatic and realistic towards the idea of unity.


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Followed the Serbian-Croatian coalition but didnt want itsactivities to impact on the relationship with Austria-Hungary

o Recognised that South Slav unity represented war with theHabsburgs

There were attempts to bring more liberals into the government structure

through the university system but this was interrupted by WWI

Croatia

In contrast to Serbia, there was a resurgence in reviving Serbo-Croat

cooperation

Calls to return to the 19th century ideals of joint protection ofscholarly and political ideas

However, this was not to be at the expense of Croatia, unitycould be achieved only through political and cultural

egalitarianism

This manifested itself in the 1905 formation of the Croatian-Serbian

Coalition

Considered that the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes constituted 3peoples but one nationality of Yugoslavia

They wanted a South Slav state at the expense of the HabsburgMonarchy

Popularity of the Coalition was seen in the next election, where it gained

42% of the vote in 1906

Many university students in Croatia became ardent Serbophileso Some radicals even favoured the absorption of Croatia and

Slovenia into a Serbian nation

However, Serbs and Croats did no share the same interests over the fate

of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Croats imagined a future political unit encompassing Bosnia-Herzegovina

o This would create a Croat dominated Yugoslav nationBiggest opposition to the Yugoslav program came from the Frankovites

Opposed to Hungarian control as well as cooperation with Serbia


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They attacked Serbs for the use of its coat-of-arms as well astheir use of Cyrillic

Not massively popular but a constant presenceSlovenes

Yugoslav movement always considered the idea that the Slavs, Croats

and Slovenes unite.

However, their dialect was not that of Stokavian the dialect ofthe Serbs and Croats

o The preservation of this had become a central tenet in theSlovene national consciousness

Slovenes were largely more concerned with the unity of theirown people in one unit

o Before this there were 4 distinct provinces: Carniola, Styria,Carinthia and the Adriatic Littoral.

Education in Slovenia was governed by Austrian education laws

This was not so much an issue where there were majoritySlovenes but in Styria and Carinthia they only held about 40% of

the population

South Slav Unity in 1914

No one embraced the concept universally

Looked to their own nations achievements to provide inspirationfor future progress

Some Serbs believed that all South Slavs were Serbs and vice versa with

some Croats

Key differences surfaced concerning Bosnia-Herzegovina

Most enthusiastic patrons were students: ignored the histories of politics

Serbs, Croats and Slovenes would have to make religious,cultural and economic sacrifices for the common good.

creation of yugoslavia

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