A Book Review of "To End a War"

Name Instructor Course Date To End a War Introduction In this book, the scholars examined the dynamics of ethnic conflict in Bosnia and the reasons for international involvement in it. The analysis is done on the causes and reasons for the conflicts and why international efforts of resolving the conflict failed and later succeeded in 1995. Review on the Dayton Accords produced in 1995 and determined whether if well implemented in two years after its introduction can bring about long term peace in Bosnia or not. This book review is aimed at helping students understand the events that took place in Bosnia leading to the conflict and also scholars who want to understand the dynamics of ethnic conflicts and come up with ways of managing them. The review focuses on the major participants of the conflict, the origins of the conflict and the role of the media in the war. It also gives detailed information about the various efforts of the international communities to resolve the conflicts (Burg). For embracing narrow ethnic of the conflict in Bosnia, economic, political and moral issues are excluded from the analysis. In conclusion, the review gives the western responses to the conflicts and the lessons learned from the conflicts. Summary From 1991-1995, around three thousand people were killed as a result of these conflicts in Yugoslavia. This made the international communities unhappy. Hence, they started finding ways of ending the war. “Both the European Union and the U. S viewed Balkan as a European problem; the Europeans decided to withhold their U.N peacekeepers.” This led to the war to continue in Bosnia. The Europeans in Bosnia avoided military involvement which led to the killing of Bosnian Muslims killed by Serbian Tormentors. The British and French had the responsibility for handling the European problem requested the United Nations to release arms to the Bosnian war (McKee). The U.N army was not in a position to defeat the Serbian Military forces. The Serbian forces had inherited the extensive military hardware belonging to Yugoslavia, and hence they were ready for the war. “The UN embargo did not offer self- defense to the poorly equipped Muslim population in Bosnia.” The Muslims were unarmed; hence they could not defend themselves from the Serbian forces that were mercilessly attacking them. The Europeans also did not want Muslims in Bosnia. Therefore, they did not defend them. Two hundred and fifty Bosnia Muslims were attacked and killed by Serbian forces. When Yugoslavia began to fall, Americans formed two strong groups which included people who thought it was right for American to intervene for social or moral reasons and those that were in fear if they did they would be defeated. As time moved by and awareness for the ethnic cleansing spread, those wanted America to intervene increased. In July 1995, things worsened, and the United States had to do something because the situation was becoming hopeless (Osmanović). America started high-risk actions which included; “heavy NATO bombing in September, a cease-fire in October, Dayton in November, and, in December, the deployment of twenty thousand American troops to Bosnia.” In late 1995, the United States took part in the face of growing atrocities and new Bos...