The Decline of the Yugoslav-American Relations in the Aftermath of the First Summit of the Countries of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade Cover Image

Pogoršanje jugoslovensko-američkih odnosa posle Prvog samita nesvrstanih zemalja u Beogradu
The Decline of the Yugoslav-American Relations in the Aftermath of the First Summit of the Countries of the Non-Aligned Movement in Belgrade

Author(s): Dragan Bogetić
Subject(s): History
Published by: Institut za savremenu istoriju, Beograd
Keywords: Yugoslavia; United States; Tito; summit of the nonaligned countries; relations;

Summary/Abstract: Yugoslav policy of wavering between the blocks, alongside with the close cooperation with the African and Asian countries in the beginning of the sixties was almost constantly accompanied with the conflicts with Great Powers. This was particularly expressed in the course of the first summit of the nonaligned countries, whose instigator, organizer and host was Yugoslavia. In the desire to maintain the role of the ringleader of the movement, Yugoslavia was in the forefront of harsh qualifications regarding the block of “rich” Western countries at the summit. By assuming the role of the protector of the oppressed parts of the world, Josip Broz Tito tried to impose himself as its leader in the struggle for the radical change of the system of international relations. According to him, the system was the main source of poverty and uncontrolled exploitation of the Third World countries by the colonial and neocolonial powers. As the backbone of such “surpassed and anachronistic system” were the United States, Tito’s criticism of US policies was the gist of his speech. Yugoslav posture at the Belgrade summit has therefore caused a serious worsening of the Yugoslav-American relations, which has cast a shade over the basic preconditions of the further realization of the key premises of the new Yugoslav policy of peaceful coexistence. As a consequence of such a turn, American aid programs to Yugoslavia were cancelled and restrictive amendments were adopted by the Congress in the realm of future bilateral trade agreements.

  • Issue Year: 2006
  • Issue No: 2
  • Page Range: 71-87
  • Page Count: 16
  • Language: Serbian