In the Balkans, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, and Kosovo are having the worst problems. It all goes back as far as 1389 when the Ottoman Turks defeated the Serbs on the Field of Blackbirds. Today's problems in Kosovo start with what Slobodan Milosevic did in the late 1980's.

In 1989, Milosevic stripped Kosovo of its autonomous status, part of his drive for a return to Serbian glory. Ethnic Albanians took to the streets to protest. The Serbs sent in tanks, planes and more police in response to the unrest, but ultimately Albanians chose to retaliate without violence. In 1990, they declared their independence and established a parallel government.

The United Nation has sent in peace keeping troops to help solve the problems they face and to keep peace in the area. However, peace cannot come unless people are willing to change their attitudes about people who are different.

For more information about the Balkans visit these sites:
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/world/balkans_content/
http://www.albanian.com/main/
http://www.religioustolerance.org/war_koso.htm