Proceedings of the 32nd International Academic Conference, Geneva

LICENSE FOR GENOCIDE: INTERNATIONAL LAW VIOLATIONS & THE BLEIBURG MASSACRE AT THE CLOSE OF WORLD WAR II

DOROTHY S. MCCLELLAN, NIKOLA KNEZ

Abstract:

This presentation examines violations of international law in Europe at the end of World War II that resulted in what is referred to as The Bleiburg Massacre and Operation Slaughterhouse. Through analysis of historical documents, newly released evidence of mass graves, and interviews with survivors, military intelligence officers, and scholars, we trace the forced repatriation to Yugoslavia of 700,000 Croatian civilians and military personnel who sought asylum in Austria at the close of World War II. The study provides support for the thesis of complicity of British authorities with Josip Broz Tito in violation of the Geneva Conventions. Data suggest that the violations of international law led to the death of the overwhelming majority of these individuals at the hands of Yugoslav Partisans through death marches and mass executions. The presentation includes excerpts from a documentary film on the subject currently in production by the authors.

Keywords: genocide, international law violations, Geneva Conventions, World War II, Bleiburg Massacre, war crimes

DOI: 10.20472/IAC.2017.032.029

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