Texas A&M University Press


Serbia's Secret War
Propaganda and the Deceit of History
by Philip J. Cohen
foreword by David Riesman

"Philip Cohen’s book provides a useful counter to current myths about Serbia’s history during the Second World War. By detailing the reality of past Serbian national socialism and anti-Semitism he allows us to understand more clearly the mentality which has been at work in Belgrade, and so the roots of today’s Yugoslavian tragedy."
 —Lady Margaret Thatcher,
House of Lords, former British prime minister

In this penetrating study, Philip J. Cohen argues that Serbian leaders have been busily rewriting their nation’s history since the end of World War II. Serbia’s political and church leaders have, according to Cohen, depicted themselves as victims of Nazism in need of a safe homeland—their rationale behind the war to establish "Greater Serbia" in the ruins of post-communist Yugoslavia.

Cohen argues that the existence of Serbian "victim" propaganda is reflected in the world media as well as in popular commentary and scholarly analysis. More astonishing is that this campaign to reverse the wartime role of Serbia from Nazi collaborators to victims has been widely successful, particularly in Israel.

In attempting not only to establish but also explain the Serbian record during the Nazi occupation, Cohen describes the situation in nineteenth-century Serbia, showing the foundation of a political and social system that was partly built on ethnic prejudices and the glorification of violence.

Serbia’s Secret War draws heavily on documents that have been previously unavailable to the West. Some of the written record has been translated and is published here, in full, for the first time.

". . . weaves a rich tapestry covering the last 200 years of Balkan history while emphasizing the role the Serbs played in World War II. . . . Offering a wealth of new information, this impressive, scholarly book is highly recommended . . ."—Library Journal

PHILIP J. COHEN, a medical doctor, has done extensive research on history and politics in the Balkans. He is widely published in scholarly journals and books.

Number Two: Eastern European Studies

Serbia's Secret War
ISBN 0-89096-760-1 paper $15.95

LC 95-46662. 6x9. 264 pp. 1 b&w photo.
3 maps. 13 tables. 2 apps. Bib. Index.
Modern History. Eastern Europe.

Publication Date: November 1997.

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