The Unexpected Tactic that Saved a Country from a Savage Army
3,500In the heart of a city under siege, a covert plan was taking shape, a secret that could mean the difference between survival and annihilation. Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia, was in the grip of the longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare, lasting an unimaginable 1,425 days. Its defenders, outnumbered and outgunned, were preparing to fight back in a daring way.
The collapse of the Soviet Union had sent shockwaves across the globe, destabilizing the delicate balance of power in Eastern Europe. Yugoslavia, a federation of six republics, was teetering on the brink of disintegration. The Bosniaks and Croats sought independence, but the Serbs, backed by the military might of the Yugoslav Army and were unwilling to let go without a fight. Suddenly, Bosnia found itself in the eye of a storm, the most brutal conflict Europe had seen since the Second World War.
While the international community, including the US and NATO, grappled with the decision to intervene, the citizens of Sarajevo found themselves trapped in a city under relentless attack artillery, mortars, tanks, and snipers. Food and water supplies dwindled, and survival became a daily struggle against insurmountable odds.
But amidst the ruin, a secret plan was set into motion. A 2,624-foot long tunnel was being constructed beneath the city's airport runway. This underground lifeline was not just a passage for vital supplies of food and water, but also a conduit for weapons, bolstering their desperate defense. As the citizens of Sarajevo clung to survival, they held onto the hope that the international community would finally respond to their desperate pleas for help. But would the US and NATO arrive in time to save a city on the brink of obliteration?
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