CONCLUSION

The initial high estimates of the Second World War casualties were calculated with the purpose of depicting Yugoslavia's great contribution and in order to form a basis for large reparation, which has not been accomplished. The aforementioned estimates and concealment of the casualty listings from 1946 and 1964, incited Serbian and Croatian extremists to debate about the number of Jasenovac victims, as well as the massacred people at Bleiburg and the so- called Way of the Cross ( Death Marches ). After Marshal Tito's death, the Serbian extremists were more obstinate in claiming that 700,000, and even one million people (mainly Serbians) were killed in the Jasenovac camp only. This formed the basis for accusing the Croatian nation of having a genocidal character, although during 13 centuries of living together, a major slaughter or extermination between Croatians and Serbians never occurred*.

The extraordinary conditions were created under the German occupation. German forces organized camps in all its occupied territories, therefore also in Nedic's collaborating state of Serbia, where 14,000 Jews from Serbia Proper, Banat and Srijem were killed on the execution localities in Jajinci and in mobile gas chambers, mainly until spring of 1942, while in May 1943, on the explicit request by the Germans, 1,700 Jews from Zagreb, and 2,500 from the rest of Croatia were taken to the notorious concentration camp in Auschwitz. 1,200 Jews from mixed marriages survived in Zagreb.

Citing from the publication Banjica, (published by the Historical Archives and Kultura from Belgrade, 1987), in late 1943 and early 1944, 68,000 bodies were exhumed and burned, while 1,400 remained unburned. The difference is only in the fact that in Serbia the majority of the victims were killed in the execution locations in Jajinci, and the minority in camps (Banjica, Loznica, Sabac, and others), while in the NDH the largest number of victims were executed in the Jasenovac camp, and in pits (Jadovno and others). A large number of people were killed in the villages, during the battles between Ustashas and Partisans. The villages were conquered many times by both sides, mainly in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where the major battles were led between 1942 and 1945. Battles were led in the territory of Serbia only in the Autumn of 1941, and after October 1944, when Belgrade was liberated.

While after the Second World War nobody accused Nedic's Serbian Guard, police, informants and agents, whose assistance was used by the Germans in their arrests and killings, a fierce Serbian wrath was pointed at the Ustashas who performed executions in Jasenovac and other places mostly by themselves (which every civilized human being must condemn as a grave crime). Of course, there were crimes committed by Chetniks, but to a lesser extent.

However, the escalation of the attacks by Serbian extremists, and claims that at least 700,000 (and later over one million) Serbians were killed in the Jasenovac camp, provided a basis for accusing the Croatian nation of having a genocidal character. This, finally, was used as a moral excuse for waging the war against Croatia. However, it is obvious from the described mani- pulations with the number of the casualties of war, and with actual Serbian and other losses, established on the basis of original documents, that this imaginary idea was created in order to accomplish the plans already outlined in the Nacertanije(Design) by Ilija Garasanin, and announced at Gazimestan (Kosovo) in 1989 at the celebration of the 600th anniversary of the Kosovo battle. On that occasion, Slobodan Milosevic declared that he will use all institutional, non-institutional, and even military means in order to create a state where all Serbians will live together, which brought about the present situation.

It is hoped that involvement on the part of the world powers (UN) and the European community (EC) will bring about a just and peaceful solution to the crisis in the territory of the former Yugoslavia, and enable us to enjoy economic and cultural prosperity in the European family of states in the near future.

One should also believe that the Serbians in Croatia, who have lived in these territories for more than four centuries, will realize that they are not endangered in a community with Croatians. They especially should not be afraid that any form of genocide could occur, because they themselves know best that during the Second World War a large number of Croatians stood at their defense, and that they, along with Serbians, contributed to the National Liberation War, and even prevented a larger number of victims. It should be mentioned that the regular Croatian Army (Domobrani) also helped with their passive role and even by logistic support to the partisan units.

It should be noted that vengeance for the crimes committed by the Ustashas was executed immediately after the war, with the terrible massacres at Bleiburg and during the so-called Way of the Cross (Death Marches), when many innocent opponents of the Communist regime were also killed. Therefore, enacting vengeance against the Croatians, with whom the Serbians in Croatia have peacefully lived for the past 45 years, could not be excused, neither morally nor politically.

After the artificially created euphoria is over, and once peace is established, all reasonable and objective Serbians will -- I strongly believe -- realize that their common life with Croatians, in a state with a prosperous economic future, is the most acceptable solution for them.