The following map was published by The Times "Atlas of World History", Edition 1978 (13 years before the civil wars broke in ex-Yugoslavia), on page 214. The subtitle of the map says:

Languages, peoples and political divisions of Europe
[1800 to 1914]

Presented here is the part of the map that clearly shows where new country of Yugoslavia will be formed after World War One.

What should you note on the map:

1. How do Croatian ethnic teritories compare to the Serbian ones?
2. Macedonian Slavs are presented here (in cross-hair). They take less than half space than the "Macedonians" today, though.
3. The real puzzle is: Where are "Bosniaks"? The authors of this map obviously do not recognize Bosnian Muslims as a separate nation. It was 1978 when this book and the map in it was issued. You will find the answer to where the "Bosniaks" are on other maps presented on this site.

Ethnic disposition of peoples do not change easily. The ethic disposition of Serbs and Croats did not change despite the horrors of World War One and Two. But what was not possible during Hitler's was accomplished during Bill Clinton's New World Order. Thanks to NATO Serbs lost at least half of their ancestral lands.

NOTE: The country of Yugoslavia was formed in 1918. Its first name was the "Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes". Those three nations were the constituent nations of Yugoslavia. Thus, they have the right to (using peaceful means) negotiate leaving the union.

Albanians of Kosovo are NOT constituent nation of Yugoslavia. They are minority in the true sense of the term. To make a precedent and give Albanians of Kosovo "right" to secede would open a whole new Pandora's box in the international relationships.

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