ABSTRACT
The legacy of the 1990s’ Balkan crises is not yet fully formed, but it may well be as revolutionary as the legacy of the crises that began the twentieth century. Gavrilo Princip’s bullet in the name of Serb nationalism led to the fragmentation of European empires, the creation of new international diplomatic structures, and the staged insertion of the United States into European security. While the direct effect of modern Serb nationalism was less bloody than World War I, its legacy seems to be nearly as dramatic. The Balkan wars, Bosnia in particular, have highlighted weaknesses in international diplomacy, in the United Nations itself, and in its relationship with other security and political organizations. The crises coincided with a new wave of nationalist fragmentation in Europe. Not all legacies are parallel, of course. The United States has reached a pinnacle of relative power, and is also beginning a staged withdrawal from Europe. Both trends have catalyzed European unity, leading to expansion of both NATO and the European Union and a new focus in the EU on developing its own voice in foreign and security policy. This chapter looks at the EU-NATO relationship; other parts of this book address other legacies.
