Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans

by John Phillips

The disintegration of Yugoslavia in the 1990s shattered the Balkans, unleashing the horror of extreme nationalism. Macedonia seemed to have been spared the bloodletting. In reality, it was only postponed. The newly independent Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia remains a powder-keg waiting to explode.

Journalist John Phillips describes the bloody rebellion initiated by Albanian guerrillas demanding rights equal to those of the dominant Slavs in Macedonia, a conflict that killed and wounded hundreds of people and set off fears that the crisis would draw in surrounding Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, and Greece. International intervention brought an uneasy halt to the bloodshed in the summer of 2001, but hardline Macedonian nationalists—including some under investigation by the international war crimes tribunal—have hindered full implementation of the peace agreement and may renew their campaign.

John Phillips has covered both the fighting on the front lines and the behind-the-scenes diplomatic intrigue in Macedonia. Now, presenting the events, politics, and personalities, he shows how the instability in Macedonia threatens any hope of a lasting peace in the Balkans.

230 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Brett C · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was decent and I think it's the only one about modern Macedonia. The book was a current event/journalism narrative about post-Yugoslav Macedonia and the surge of violence that occurred. The author gave sight into the unique intricacies about modern Macedonia and talks a little about the conflict in Kosovo, 1999-2001, that boiled over into Northern Macedonia.

For most of 2001 there was an insurgency war between Macedonian forces and the Macedonian-based UÇK, Ushtria Çlirimtare Kombëtare (or the National Liberation Army). This was a separatist army with close connections to the KLA, Kosovo Liberation Army. This was a similar combative struggle between ethnic Albanians and Macedonians. Offensive actions, irregular warfare, and war crimes were mentioned at Tetovo and Kumanovo that year.

I would suggest this to anyone interested in recent Balkan history. Thanks!

[Bence Kiss-dobronyi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Phillips describes the civil conflict in Macedonia at the end of the 20th century with great detail on military movements and the working of international politics in the conflict. He - in my opinion - gives an unbiased account of how events unfolded and how there were often no good choices in this situation just less bad. While he gives a brief introduction of Macedonian history the book could have benefited from stretching this part a bit. However he does write about how different actors tried to tell a different versions of history in order to push their agendas, which is a great addition and could be easily more important to the understanding of the conflict than "real" history.
The only real drawback of the book is its somewhat chaotic flow - events are sometimes described out of a linear timeline and people are introduced in sidenotes after they were already actors in the events. This is complemented by some repetition of arguments and facts. Whether it is intentional (to remind the reader of certain things) or unintentional, unfortunately it feels like that the editor was failed to notice it. Interesting read for those who are interested in the recent history of the Balkans, war correspondence or the study of ethnical conflict. But it is rather a mostly dry historical journal of the conflict than a personal account of sorts, therefore not as readable as for example Philip Gourevitch's account of the Rwandan Genocide (however compared to Gourevitch's book it fortunately shares a lot less on the details of atrocities, and happily tells a bit less horrible story).

[Thomas Harte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent unbiased account of the conflict in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.