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For over
20 years,
Marshal
Tito has
been
leading
Yugo–
slavia's unique experiment
in independent, national
Communism.
Today,
his
na–
tion is at the
crossroads.
by
Harry Eisenberg
K
MBLJNGS ARE
once again being
felt in the Balkans, that volatile
region once called the
powder keg
of Europe.
Here, where sparks set off
World War I, pressures are being felt
which could significantly alter the
world balance of power or even lead to
an East-West confrontation.
StrategicaJly speaking, the heart of
the Balkans is Yugoslavia. Situated
near the northern Mediterranean
Sea
and also controlling the land routes
between Western Europe and otherwise
isolated Greece and Turkey, Yugoslavia
is of vital interest to both Westem
Europe and the Soviet bloc.
Soviet Designs on Yugoslavia
Feeling hemmed in because of their
location, the Russians, in their quest for
warm-water ports, have long cast their
eyes on the Balkans.
Back in 1869, Russian General Ros–
tislav Fadeev wrote, "Russian affairs
will go well, only when the peasant
women ... on the slopes of the Balkans
will hush their children
to
sleep, saying,
'Don't cry, the Russians are coming
soon to help us, and they wiJl bring you
presents.'"
For ceoturies the Russians have con–
sidered Eastern Europe aod the Balkans
one of their most
primary
spheres of in–
fiuence. This was demonstrated by the