Ratko Mladić: The 'Butcher of Bosnia' and His Monstrous Crimes
BBC News Special Report
Ratko Mladić, the bull-necked "Butcher of Bosnia," has died at the age of 84. As Commander of the Bosnian Serb army, he oversaw a brutal campaign of "ethnic cleansing" during Yugoslavia's breakup in the 1990s. His actions led to the bloodiest atrocities Europe had seen since Hitler's Third Reich.
His fanaticism made him a hero to his people. He spread fear and paranoia, claiming Muslim neighbors planned to torture and kill Serbs. He led the long siege of Sarajevo, inflicting daily casualties from shelling and sniper fire on civilians trapped within. When his troops overran Srebrenica, he promised safety, only for 8,000 men and boys to be murdered in a mass grave.
Together with political counterpart Radovan Karadžić, Mladić tore Bosnia apart, committing genocide and crimes against humanity. At his trial in The Hague, he displayed no remorse, giving victims' relatives a thumbs-up.
A Life of War and Brutality
Ratko Mladić was born on March 12, 1942, in a mountain village near Sarajevo, then part of the German-controlled Independent State of Croatia, though he later claimed to be a year younger. His father died fighting for Tito's partisans against Croat nationalists in World War II.
After a brief apprenticeship as a tinsmith, Mladić chose a military career and graduated from officer school in 1965. He quickly rose through the ranks, commanding units in Macedonia and Kosovo.
In 1991, with Yugoslavia unraveling, Mladić was sent to Croatia to re-impose control. Known for his frontline bravery, he gained devotion from his men. When war reached Bosnia, his forces switched uniforms, pledging support for the Republika Srpska.
A Vision of Ethnic Purity
Mladić saw Muslims as invaders, a result of Ottoman occupation centuries before. He vowed to drive them out and build an ethnically pure nation, starting with the siege of Sarajevo in 1992. The city endured 1,425 days of bombardment and sniper fire, leaving thousands dead.