2.  As Europe moves toward economic and
political unity, it’s facing lingering ethnic
tensions, nationalism, and environmental
crises.

3.  Following WWII, Germany
is split into two different
countries.
 East Germany is influenced
by the USSR and the
government is communist.
 West Germany is
influenced by the US,
France and the UK and
their government is a
democracy.

4.  Not only is the
country split, the
capital of Berlin is
split as well.
 East Germany
builds a wall to
maintain the
separation
between the two
and keeps its
citizens confined
within.
 Crossing over is
strictly forbidden.

6.  After much protest in
the 1980’s and urges
from other political
leaders such as
President Reagan in
1987, East Germany
agrees to bring down
the wall.
 On November 9th, “Mr. Gorbechev, tear down this wall!”
1989 demolition of
the wall commenced.

9.  The Balkan conflict stems from
different groups wanting the same
land.
 Many groups inhabit the Balkans.
 The Slavs immigrated from Russia and
Poland in the 500’s
 In the 1300’s, the Ottoman Empire
conquers the Balkans.
 Many Slavs are Christian and/or
Jewish and the Ottomans are Muslim.
 Christians, Jews and Muslims now
occupy the same land. This causes
ethnic tension.

10.  Serbia does not like
being under foreign
rule.
 The Serbians want a
free Slavic Kingdom.
 They break away
from the Ottoman
Empire in 1878 and
their actions lead to
the breakout of WWI.

11.  In 1929, the country of
Yugoslavia is formed.
 Yugoslavia literally
translates to “Land of the
Slavs”.
 The country includes
Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Serbia,
Montenegro, Kosovo and
Macedonia.
 Land is united, but still
ethnically mixed.

12.  Yugoslavia is invaded by the
Nazis and Italians during
WWII.
 The Croatians help the Nazis
hunt down and massacre
Jews and Serbians
 Following the war, Josip Broz
Tito rules Yugoslavia
 He encourages all groups to
see themselves as Yugoslavs

13.  Tito dies in 1980 and
Yugoslavia has no single,
central ruler
 Slobodan Milosevic —
Serbian who sought to
control Yugoslavia in 1990s
 Milosevic proposes creation
of Greater Serbia
- wants to expand borders to
include all areas with Serbian
populations; Croatia has large
Serbian minority

14.  Serbia blocks
Croatian from
becoming Yugoslav
president in 1991
 In response, Slovenia
and Croatia declare
independence from
Yugoslavia
 Serbian-led Yugoslav
army invades Slovenia
and Croatia

15.  Serbians want to
get rid of Bosnian
Muslims, Croatians
 Serbs use ethnic
cleansing —
violent elimination
of an ethnic group
 Over 200,000
people die, over 2
million flee area

16.  The movie Behind
Enemy Lines is a
film centered on the
story of an American
naval flight officer
who was shot down
over Bosnia, who
ends up uncovering
a massacre during
the Bosnian conflict.

18.  The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is a
revolutionary military organization
which was formed in 1913.
 The IRA opposed British occupation in
Ireland.
 In 1921 they declared independence
and fought the British in a small war.
 The British recognized Ireland’s
independence; however, parts of
Northern Ireland remained part of the
UK.
 Today, Northern Ireland is still a topic
of controversy, especially with the
IRA.

20.  The IRA has since split into
several smaller groups but
still operates today.
 Since they are an unofficial
army/militia, many people
consider the IRA a terrorist
group.
 Recent actions taken by
the IRA include; setting off
several bombs in 1972, the
assassination of Queen
Elizabeth’s uncle in 1979
and a car bomb in 1998
that killed 29 people.

21.  One incident that sparked
controversy was “Bloody
Sunday” in 1972.
 Many people gathered in
protest for an independent
Ireland in the city of Derry,
Northern Ireland.
 The British Army was called
in for crowd control.
 They opened fire, killing 14
people and injuring 26.
 - 7 of the deceased were
teenagers