Museum Audio Tour 58: Cold War Gallery: The 1990s

DAYTON, OH, UNITED STATES

12.31.1969

Audio by NMUSAF PA 

National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

While the 1990s marked the end of the Cold War, a new chapter in Air Force history began to develop. There were the conflicts in the Middle East and also in the Balkans. With the collapse of communism in Yugoslavia, nationalism led to civil war and the horrors of "ethnic cleansing." When Slovenia and Croatia declared their independence from Serbian-dominated Yugoslavia, the Serbians fought to maintain control. To keep the fighting from spreading, the United Nations imposed an arms embargo and mediated a cease-fire. In Bosnia-Herzegovina -- home to Bosniacs, Croats and Serbians -- the issue became more complex. Vicious fighting between the three factions soon erupted into the Bosnian Civil War. Barricades were erected around the city of Sarajevo. With the roads to Sarajevo controlled by the Bosnian Serbs, airlift became the only way for humanitarian supplies to reach the 380,000 people in the city. The United Nations formed a humanitarian airlift, and Operation Provide Promise began with the arrival of a French C-130 at Sarajevo airport on July 2, 1992. It continued for three-and-a-half more years -- three times longer than the Berlin Airlift. The Air Force played a major role, starting when the first American C-130 flew into Sarajevo on July 3. Food, medicine and other supplies to Sarajevo and other areas through Bosnia-Herzegovina were provided. In remote areas, the airlifters airdropped supplies. At the urging of the United States, NATO – the North Atlantic Treaty Organization -- undertook an intensive, month-long bombing campaign in August 1995. Combined with an all-out peace effort by the United States, these airstrikes produced the desired effect. A cease-fire went into effect in October, and peace talks began here at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, on November 1, 1995. These negotiations produced the framework for the peace known as the Dayton Peace Accords. The operation continued until Jan. 9, 1996. On that date, the last USAF C-130 brought relief supplies into Sarajevo Airport, and 10 minutes later, a French C-130 loaded with the ceremonial last pallet of supplies. Later in the decade, further conflict arose in the Balkans and Operation Allied Force began. Operation Noble Anvil was the American component of this NATO action to promote regional stability, cooperation and security. The objective was for NATO to bring a swift end to hostilities committed by the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia against ethnic Albanians in the southern province of Kosovo. The air campaign began in March of 1999, but by June an agreement was reached to take the Yugoslov forces out of Kosovo and NATO air strikes stopped. Unfortunately, this brief conflict was not without losses. Visit the Carney Auditorium portion of the pod map and listen to Lt. Col. Dale Zelko describe his experience when his F-117 was shot down.

• Date Taken: 12.31.1969
• Date Posted: 09.02.2015 13:52
• Category: Newscasts
• Audio ID: 41984
• Filename: 1509/DOD_102704417.mp3
• Length: 00:03:05
• Album: Museum Audio Tour
• Track #: 58
• Location: DAYTON, OH, US