Suradnik:Rjecina/Borders before and after Yugoslavia

Map of Bosnia, Croatia, and Montenegro in 1914. Bosnia and Herzegovina is yelow, Croatia with Dalmatia are (pink and red), Montenegro is brown

Borders before and after Yugoslavia describes how today international borders has been changed between birth of Yugoslavia on 1 December 1918 and her death on 25 June 1991. During Yugoslavia kingdom 1918 - 1941 there has been try to deleted old internal borders with creation of many Banovina, but when communist has taken power in 1945 they have deleted this changes and returned clock to 1918 borders with little changes. This article is speaking about difference of this borders which will become international in 1991 and borders of 1918. Because greatest number nations of ex Yugoslavia say how they have been victims of fraud and state crime during that period this is highly controversial question

Bosnia and Herzegovina

She has been province of Austro-Hungarian empire before entry to Yugoslavia. Only border change of Bosnia has been loosing Herceg Novi to Montenegro. Herceg Novi has been only harbour of this state which is having another entry to sea near to Dubrovnik but this territory is not good for creation of new harbour.

Croatia

Similar to Bosnia, Croatia has been part of Austro-Hungarian empire before entry to Yugoslavia. Only month after entry in new state she will receive Dalmatia which has declared herself again part of Croatia (historical name of Croatia is kingdom of Croatia, Slavonia and Dalmatia). Between 1918 and 1991, she will have greater border changes of any other republic. When she has entered Yugoslavia Croatia has been until Belgrade which is in that time Serbian capital and border city. During Tito's rule, communists have made decisions that territory where Serbs are majority will be annexed to Serbia and because of that Croatia has lost everything in Syrmia until city of Ilok. On other side in this region because of that thinking she will recieve Baranja which has with 1919/1920 peace agreement Yugoslavia recieved from Hungary. In south east Croatia has been ulmost until Albania because only Montenegro harbours has been Bar and Ulcinj. During border changes Croatia will loose Kotor, Tivat and Budva which will become territory of Montenegro. On the Adriatic coast, Croatia will receive from Italy after World war II territory which she has lost during World War I. This are: Zadar, Rijeka, greatest part of Istria, Dalmatian islands and Cres-Lošinj. How much population of this territory has been Italian and how much Croatian before 1918 and before 1945 is now very hard to say because of Italian ethnic cleansing (1918 - 1943) and latter Yugoslav ethnic cleansing (1945 - 1948)

Macedonia

Macedonia has become part of Serbia during Balkan wars in 1913. Until communist rule "most popular" name for this state has been south Serbia. After World War II communist has declared Macedonia republic to win loyalty of population which has very happy received Bulgarian troops in 1941 thinking of them like liberators from Serbia.

Montenegro

Before entry to Yugoslavia, Montenegro has been an independent kingdom. Similar to Croatia, Montenegro will between 1918 - 1991 something receive and something loose. From Bosnia they have received Herceg Novi and from Croatia Kotor, Tivat and Budva. On other side they will loose city of Peć to Serbia (Kosovo).

Serbia

Kingdom of Serbia in 1913

Map of Serbia in 1991

Serbia has been independent kingdom and birth place of Yugoslavia in 1918. During the existence of this united state from part of her teritory will be created Macedonia and this will be only but great loss to Serbia. In last weeks before birth of Yugoslavia soldiers of Serbia and Romania will try to take greater possible part of Hungary kingdom. In peace agreements with Hungary then Yugoslavia will recieve territory which is today Vojvodina. After Yugoslavia birth Serbia will receive from Bulgaria in 1919 because of War reparations Bosilegrad ,Dimitrovgrad and Strumica. This last will become part of Macedonia in 1945. From Montenegro, Serbia will receive during existence of Yugoslavia town of Peć and from Croatia, she will receive everything between rivers Sava and Dunav (Syrmia) until Ilok.

Slovenia

Slovenia then known under name Duchy of Carniola has been smallest region of Austro-Hungarian state which has entered to Yugoslavia. During anarchy time of 1918 southern part of Styria province where Slovenians has been majority has been united with Duchy of Carniola and from that union is created modern Slovenia. In difference of all others founders of Yugoslavia (then name has been kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes) she has been only without clear borders. Her only known and international accepted border in 1918 has been with Croatia. Borders with Austria will be solved in popular referendum when Klagenfurt has choosen to be part of Austria. In peace treaty of 1920 after end of World War I Slovenia will loose western teritory with cities Postojna, Idrija and Šturje to Italy. Border with Hungary will be solved only with Treaty of Trianon when then kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes will recieve Prekomurje which will be added to Slovenia. After World War II and during of Trieste annex between Italy and Yugoslavia she will receive part of Istria where is today port of Koper. Similar to that Slovenia will expand her western frontier recieving from Italy towns Tolminj, Nova Gorica, Idrija and many others which she has lost in 1920.

Literature

History maps of Yugoslavia