Jugo-Slavia

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

2026 Editor's Note: This page uses language about race that was commonplace when the book was published and is offensive by today's standards. The text has been left exactly as it was printed, rather than cut or softened, so that the historical record — including how ordinary such language once was — is preserved. (Ed: ET 2026-07-22) Kingdom Serbs , Croats and Slovenes (literally the of the land of the Southern Slavs), represents what has been for the past generation a national ideal, only realized since the close of the World War. Jugo-Slavia, as a territory, includes Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Dalmatia and Croatia tia, all of which countries are inhabited by peoples of Serbian blood, speaking only slightly varying tongues, and whose most perfect literary form is represented by the Serbian. Among all these there has naturally been a desire to unite into one single nationality. This desire has manifested itself in two ways; the ambition on the part of the ruling house of Serbia to unite all these peoples under an imperial Serbian Empire, a "Greater Serbia;" and, on the other hand, the patriotic wish of the common people to form a union, or confederacy, of all these Slavic states under a democratic government . This latter movement is more properly expressed in the name Jugo-Slavia . But the two purposes have commonly worked together with the single aim of first freeing the greater part of the Southern Slavs from Austrian domination . This movement toward Serbian nationality may properly be considered to have been one of the chief, if not the chief , causes of the World War. Practically all of the Balkan Peninsula , with the exception of Greece, Albania and Rumania , is populated by Slavic peoples. All of these were submerged more or less by the Turkish invasion during the late Middle Ages. With the development of Christian civilization, however, the Turks were gradually driven back, chiefly by the two big empires, Russia and Austria. At times the little Balkan nationalities were compelled to call on them for aid, but with the inevitable result that they were compelled to pay the price asked, which was annexation. Thus their national aspirations were crushed by their very deliverers. Gradually they came to realize that if they were to gain independence they must fight their own battles . In 1878 the Slavs of the Balkan Peninsula planned an uprising. Serbia at that time, limited to a small territory in what is known as Serbia proper, then enjoyed a large measure of local autonomy, while Montenegro, on account of its impregnable ble position in the mountains, has been practically independent during all the Turkish occupation. Bulgaria, however, was entirely subjugated, and here cruelly suppressed, with such horrors that Russia immediately made them the pretext for a war of "liberation." Russians, Serbia and Rumania assisting. The Turks were driven back by the European nations, however, Bulgaria, As a result of the objections of the other which was liberated, could not be annexed, but was created into a free state, under a Prince, nominally subservient to under her King. But Bosnia and Herthe Sultan. Serbia became entirely free , zegovina were handed over to the administration of Austria, though the Sultan was still the nominal sovereign. tions of the Serbs, who had hoped to gain This was a sore blow to the aspiraassistance in driving the Turks back a "Greater Serbia" as a result of their toward Constantinople . From this time on began the Jugo- Slav movement, radiating from Belgrade , the capital of Serbia. Naturally, counter to the ambitions of both Russia and Austria, but especially of the latter, ally, this propaganda ran for Austria desired to incorporate Bosnia and Herzegovina within her empire, as she had already done with Dalmatia and Croatia. Russia desired to acquire Bulgaria and the territory down to and including Constantinople . But Bulgaria had her own nationalistic aspirations, and in places, especially down in Turkish Macedonia, these overlapped with those of Serbia. For this reason these Serbia, found it almost impossible to cotwo centers of nationalism , Bulgaria and operate, and thereby weakened their common front against the two big empires advancing on them down the Peninsula. proclamation formally annexing Bosnia In 1908 Austria issued and Herzegovina. This was a an official blow at the aspirations of the Jugo- Slavs. But Serbia was in no position ta direct make war on Austria. Instead she came to an understanding with Bulgaria, and the two agreed to unite temporarily and by their joint effort drive the Turks out of Europe and divide Macedonia between them. Greece and Montenegro joined the Alliance. In 1912 their plans matured and the First Balkan War was precipitated, with unexpected success to seemed that two powerful Balkan nathe Balkan allies. For the moment it tionalities were to be the result. either Austria But this could not be tolerated by big empires began intriguing against the co-operative spirit which had developed or Russia. Both these between the Bulgars and Serbs. Austria insisted that Albania remain free, and denied Serbia the right to an opening on the Adriatic, which had been agreed It was hem the cation back by the of the other Bulgaria, not b anstate, to antirely free, mia and Her to the adminevement, redi or the istter, porate Bosnia er empire, as acquire Bulwn to and ins emp Ang Bombia es a direct the Jugo Sulgaria, and Vagainst the developed an opening to between Serbia and Bulgaria. She also stirred up the greed of the reigning house of Bulgaria, promising support if Bulgaria would attack Serbia and take from her some of the territory which was to be hers. These intrigues succeeded. Bulgaria made war on Serbia, was badly beaten, and Serbia acquired a Au large area of territory in Macedonia, much to the disappointment of Austria, and so brin ringing her nearer by one step a critica to the final ideal. genuinely This brought the situation to a critical rbian za point. Austria was now genuinely notism of inces had alarmed over the growth of Serbian nationalism. The dormant patriotism of he success movement the Serbs in the Austrian provinces had been profoundly awakened by the success of Serbia, and the Jugo-Slav movement took on vigorous growth. Austria responded by repressive measures, and belea gan planning a war which should once and forever crush Serbia. On the other ation hand, Serbia, if not officially, at least unofficially lly encouraged the nationalistic movement in the Austrian Slav provinces. The crisis occurred when the young Serb revolutionary agitator, Gabrilowitz, on June 28, 1914, assassinated the Archduke Francis Ferdinand, Heir Apparent of Austria-Hungary, and his morganatic wife, during their visit to the capital of Bosnia, Sarajevo. This was the pretext for the war of annihilation which Austria was planning, and hostilities were accordingly precipitated. But the war spread as Austria had not anticipated, bringing in elements on which she had not figured. First of all, when Austria, in the very beginning of the war, attempted to invade and conquer Serbia, she was severely defeated, three times in succession, and was eventually compelled to call on Germany to send troops to her aid. For the time being the Serbian armies were driven out a, unde of Serbia, the surviving portions finding fter recup Corfu, under the took the refuge on the Island of Corfu, Lacedo protection of the Allies. After recuperating for a year, they again took the field beside the Allied troops in Macedonia and were foremost in breaking the Teutonic front and marching victoriously back into Serbia. This decisive victory on the Macedonian front, in the fall of 1918, was the beginning of the end of the Austrian Empire. So shattered were the component parts of the Empire that immediately the Jugo-Slavs were able to take steps toward the consolidation of the great state which had been their national ideal. In August, 1918, before the final defeat of the Central Empires, a Jugo- Slav Congress was held at Laibach, at Laibach, which was attended by delegates from all delegates from all the Slav peoples under Austrian dominder Austrian dominion. Austria formally promised the conally promised the convention that the Slavic states should Clavic states should have full autonomy under Austrian soyunder Austrian sovereignty, which should be merely nomiuld be merely nominal, but even this far-reaching offer was r-reaching offer was unsatisfactory. On Nov. 3, 1918, a Pro-- 8, 1918, a Pro visional Government was proclaimed at was proclaimed at Agram, of which Joseph Pogoanik, foroh Pogoanik, formerly vice-president of the lower house he lower house of the Austrian Parliament, was elected was elected President. On Dec. 21, 1918, it was 1918, it was announced that an agreement had been sement had been reached with Serbia, whereby that nation eby that nation was to join the Jugo-Slav nation, the latv nation, the latter naturally, to be changed from a changed from a republic to a monarchy. A new ministry A new ministry was formed, under the Premiership of e Premiership of N. P. Pasitch, former Minister of the Minister of the Interior of the Serbian Cabinet, and Serbian Cabinet, and Prince Alexander of Serbia was named bis was named as Prince Regent. In January, 1919, the In January, 1919, the new government was established at Belascatablished at Bel grade, and in the following March the following March the first session of the Jugo-Slav Parliament Jogo Slav Parliament was held. Hitherto there had been some there had been some doubt as to Montenegro joining, but on negro joining, but on April 20, 1919, the Montenegrin National Al enegrin National Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor Imingly in favor of it. On Aug. 3, 1919, the Pasitch Cab- 1919, the Pasitch Cabinet resigned, and a new one was formed one was formed under the leadership of Liouba Davido- Liouba Davidovitch, a radical. This Ministry lasted his Ministry lasted only until Sept. 15, 1919, when it re- 019, when it resigned on account of the treaty with Austhe treaty with Austria, with which republic the Jugo-Slavs ic the Jugo-Slavs had entered into active hostilities during hostilities during the previous May, as a result of boundresult of boundary disputes. The succeeding Cabinet cceeding Cabinet formed under Prof. Pavlovitch. was Prof. Pavlovitch. Meanwhile a serious dispute had arisen between the new Jugo-Slav State and lispute had arisen Slav State and Italy, over part of the Dalmatian coast, the Dalmatian coast, Fiume being the center of the disputed of the disputed territory. The decision of this problem, ision of this problem, however, became a question of internaquestion of international import and the subject of diplothe Alsubject of diplomatic negotiations between all tween all the the Allied governments during the year 1920. the year 1920. It was finally settled in December, led in Decenaber, 1920, by the cession of Dalmatia to of Dalmatia to Jugo-Slavia, and the establishment of establishment of Fiume an independent city. See as Jependent city. See ITALY.