After World War II, the Balkan states of Bosnia, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, and Macedonia became part of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia. After Yugoslav leader Josip Broz Tito died in 1980, nationalism became a big problem for the Yugoslavian republics. In the mid-80s, things kept getting worse because Serbian leader helped create discontent between Serbians in Bosnia and Croatia and their Croatian, Bosniak, and Albanian neighbors. In 1991, Slovania, Croatia, and Montenegro declared their independence. In April of 1992, the government of Yugoslav republic of Bosnia declared its independence from Yugoslavia. Two years before the war started, the nation was declared a United Nations Safe Area. The war started in 1992 and lasted until July 1995. Many innocent men and boys were murdered, women were raped, families were forever split up. Bosnian Serb forces targeted both Croatian and Bosniak (Bosnian Muslims) civilians. Approximately, 100,000 people were killed, 80% Bosniaks, The Genocide of 1992-1995 was the worse act of genocide in Europe since the Holocaust.
Life in Bosnia during the war was not easy at all. There was a low supply on water and food. People went days without eating. Families got separated and they didn't know when the next time they would see each other would be. The war ruined Bosnia. The political system became corrupt, towns were completely torn apart, and the economy went down, this is why many Bosnians moved over to the United States. Life isn't as good in Bosnia now as it was before the war, but it definitely has gotten better.