 | |
 United States |  Yugoslavia |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of the United States, Belgrade | Embassy of Yugoslavia, Washington D.C. |
United States–Yugoslavia relations were the historical foreign relations between theUnited States and both theKingdom of Yugoslavia (1918–1941) andSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1945–1992). During the existence of the SFRY, relations oscillated from mutual ignorance, antagonism to close cooperation, and significant direct American engagement. The United States was represented in Yugoslavia by its embassy inBelgrade and consulate general inZagreb.
 United States |  Yugoslavia |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Embassy of the United States, Belgrade, | Embassy of Yugoslavia, Washington D.C. |
The United States recognized theKingdom of Serbia as a sovereign nation on October 14, 1881, with the signing of consular and commercial agreements.[1] On November 10, 1882, U.S. Consul GeneralEugene Schuyler presented his credentials to the government of Serbia. At this time, theAmerican Legation in Belgrade was established, though Schuyler was resident at Athens. U.S. and Serbian officials first made overtures to establish diplomatic relations in 1867, but it was not until 1881, three years after the country gained itsindependence from the Ottoman Empire, that the United States officially recognized the Kingdom of Serbia.
On October 14, 1881, both countries signed two treaties. The first was the Treaty on Commercial Relations to facilitate and develop commercial relations between the two countries signed by U.S. Chargé d’Affaires and Consul-General at Bucharest Eugene Schuyler and Serbian Minister of Foreign AffairsČedomilj Mijatović. The second treaty was the Convention on Rights, Privileges, and Immunities of Consular Officers. This agreement defined and regulated the rights, immunities, and privileges of each state’s consular officers. On October 25, 1901, the United States and the Kingdom of Serbia signed a Treaty on Extradition in Belgrade. The treaty promoted justice and confirmed friendly relations between the two nations, and was negotiated by U.S. MinisterCharles Spencer Francis and Serbian Minister of Foreign AffairsMichel V. Vouïtch.[1]
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was created in the aftermath of theWorld War I under the influence of theFourteen Points self-determination ideas bythe Woodrow Wilson administration. The United States was the first country to diplomatically recognize Yugoslavia.[2]
DuringWorld War II in Yugoslavia, the United States initially supported the royalistYugoslav government in exile. WhenNazi Germany invaded Yugoslavia in the spring of 1941, the United States decisively supported theChetniks in the first years of the war. This however changed once British sources recognizedYugoslav Partisans as the only significantresistance movement which will rise to become the most effective anti-Axis resistance movement during the war.
In the initial period after the war relations between the two countries were poor with Yugoslavia being perceived as the closestSoviet ally, and the country in whichCommunist party gained power without any significant Soviet support.[3] This phase lasted in a short period after the end of theWorld War II in 1945 and before the beginning of theCold War in 1947. This period was characterized by Soviet conciliatory diplomacy towards the West and much more belligerent Yugoslav foreign policy involved in issues such as theFree Territory of Trieste andGreek Civil War. Relations were further strained when two USAFC-47 Skytrain cargo aircraft were shot down over Yugoslavia in the space of two weeks.[4] At the time, relations with United States were given lower priority tocountry's relations with United Kingdom.[5]
The 1948Tito-Stalin split represented the major turning point in the relations of United States and the new socialist republic. Yugoslavia first requested assistance from the United States in summer 1948. TheTruman administration decided to provide substantial aid, loans and military assistance to Yugoslavia despite some concerns caused by earlier relations.[6]Omar Bradley was also an outspoken supporter of providing aid and improving relations withYugoslavia, stating in an address to Congress on 30 November 1950 that "In the first place, if we could even take them out of the hostile camp and make them neutral, that is one step. If you can get them to act as a threat, that's a second step. if you can get them to actively participate on your side, that is an even further step and then, of course, if you had a commitment, where their efforts were integrated with those of ours on the defence, that would still be a further step." This marked the beginning of US military aid to a communist nation in order to counterSoviet ambitions in the region, leading to greater strives in United States–Yugoslavia relations.[7] Tito received US backing in Yugoslavia's successful 1949 bid for a seat on theUnited Nations Security Council, against Soviet opposition. In 1949, the United States provided loans to Yugoslavia, and in 1950 the loans were increased and followed by large grants and military aid. On 29 November 1950, YugoslavRepublic Day, presidentHarry S. Truman asked Congress to endorse the Yugoslav Emergency Relief Act.[8] Even though the Yugoslavs initially avoided asking for military aid believing that it would be a pretext for a Soviet invasion, by 1951 Yugoslav authorities became convinced that Soviet attack was inevitable and Yugoslavia was included in theMutual Defense Assistance program. The United States recognized strategic importance of an independent and successful socialist Yugoslavia as a subversive model for other states which were part of theEastern Bloc.
As part of its advocacy in theNon-Aligned Movement, Yugoslavia criticized the USwar in Vietnam andUS support for Israel.[9]: 201
The Yugoslav diplomacy dealt successfully with the shifts in the focus of American policy fromKennedy's "Grand Design,"Johnson's "building bridges" appeal,Nixon's personal diplomacy, toCarter's focus on the human rights.[10] Yugoslavia pursued a highly independent foreign policy and maintained leadership of the internationalNonaligned movement that created a competing ideology and challenged the two superpowers.[10]
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In the initial stage of the Yugoslav crisis and thebreakup of Yugoslavia at theend of the Cold War the United States were strong advocates of Yugoslav integrity. At the same time, Washington believed the crisis was an issue for Europe to resolve. Failure of theEuropean Community and subsequently theEuropean Union to deal with theYugoslav Wars led to significant American involvement in the region. In this processPresidency of Bill Clinton provided security guarantees and efforts for smaller and weaker former Yugoslav republics ofBosnia and Herzegovina andMacedonia. This led to some friction withCroatia as well as significant tension withFR Yugoslavia (which US rejected to recognize as the sole successor to Socialist Yugoslavia) andBosnian Serbs which escalated in 1995 afterOperation Deliberate Force and in 1999 due to theNATO bombing of Yugoslavia and continued until theoverthrow of Slobodan Milošević.
This article incorporatespublic domain material from"A Guide to the United States' History of Recognition, Diplomatic, and Consular Relations, by Country, since 1776: Kingdom of Serbia/Yugoslavia".U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets.United States Department of State.
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