Any author who is either bold enough or foolhardy enough to attempt to write a short history of Yugoslavia must be aware from the outset that he or she is taking on an almost impossible task. First, there is the problem of the title. Yugoslavia did not exist until 1918, except as an idea in the minds of liberal-minded scholars and politicians amongst the South Slav peoples during the nineteenth century. However, although the term Yugoslav (or South Slav) peoples is the closest approximation to the subject matter of this book, linguists might point out that the Bulgarians also speak a South Slav language. What I have attempted to do is to trace the history of the South Slavs who came together at the end of the First World War to form a Yugoslav state, and who now live in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The long centuries of separation have produced cultural differences which make modern Yugoslavia a fascinating field of study for the scholar who is not directly involved in the life of the country, and provide an exciting and almost unmanageable challenge for those who attempt to govern it. The peoples of Yugoslavia cannot forget their own historical roots, and folk memories of their colourful past play an important part in shaping their attitudes to current problems. It is impossible to understand contemporary Yugoslavia without some knowledge of the historical experiences which are so deeply embedded in the consciousness of the people.

There is no such thing as objective history, and there is no consensus amongst Yugoslavs as to the interpretation of the events which have brought them to their present situation.