History and Politics in the Balkans: From Yugoslavia’s Regime-Change to the Early Cold War

Session Submission Type: Panel

Brief Description

This panel will offer interdisciplinary insights into how historical events, political decisions, and personal memories have shaped the legacy of Cold War politics in the Balkans, with an emphasis on Yugoslavia's unique position between East and West during this formative period.
The geopolitical context of the Cold War, often characterized as a struggle between East and West, had significant implications for the Balkan region, particularly in Yugoslavia. This panel explores the intersection of memory, politics, and historical events during and after WWII, focusing on the changing allegiances and shifting political landscapes that shaped Yugoslavia's role in the emerging Cold War. Central to this discussion are the moments of conflict and cooperation, such as the withdrawal of Western support from the Yugoslav government-in-exile, the early engagement between the West and Tito’s Communist regime, and the role of key individuals like Reuben Markham and Colonel William Bailey in shaping diplomatic narratives. By examining these moments of memory and their political ramifications, the panel seeks to understand how the Balkan region became a contested space in the broader Cold War geopolitics. Additionally, the panel will consider the ways in which these historical events have been remembered and reframed over time, particularly in the context of post-socialist memory politics and contemporary debates on authoritarianism, nationalism, and state power. Through a combination of historical analysis and the study of memory, the panel will explore how the Cold War era continues to influence the political and cultural narratives of the Balkans today.

Sub Unit

• History: 1945-1990

Chair

• Nina Markovic, Macquarie U (Australia)

Papers

• Anglo-American Allies and the Serbs in the Closing Stages of WWII: A Varied Perspective - Ratomir Milikic, Inst for Contemporary History (Serbia); Predrag J. Markovic, Inst for Contemporary History (Serbia)

• O.W.I. Official Reuben Markham’s Opposition to U.S. Support for Tito over Mihailovich and His 1944 Resignation - Stuart Van Dyke, Independent Scholar

• Communists Mingling with Royalties: Tito in London 1953 - Vladimir Petrovic, NIOD Inst for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies (Netherlands)

• Socialist Yugoslavia's Foreign Policy: Continuity and Change, 1945–1957 - Nina Markovic, Macquarie U (Australia)

Discussant

• Robert M. Hayden, U of Pittsburgh