An exhibition commemorating 70 years of U.S. military aid to Yugoslavia during the Cold War has been opened in the foyer of the Serbian National Assembly. This aid, valued at $800 million, was provided under an agreement signed on November 14, 1951. The aid package included over 600 combat aircraft, more than 1,000 tanks, 1,000 artillery pieces, 20,000 vehicles, and various other equipment.
U.S. Ambassador Anthony Godfrey highlighted the enduring strong military partnership between the two nations, noting that their collaboration in security is rooted in shared traditions and common challenges.
Serbian Minister of Education, Science, and Technological Development, Branko Ružić, emphasized the importance of remembering key historical moments. He noted that this military aid significantly enhanced the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA), contributing to its qualitative and quantitative development.
Ružić mentioned that Yugoslavia joined the mutual aid program of the U.S., the United Kingdom, and France based on precise needs defined by the JNA, and became an associated NATO member involved in the defense of Europe against potential Soviet aggression. He stressed that important historical points should not be forgotten, even as relations between the U.S. and Yugoslavia fluctuated over time.
Historian Bojan Dimitrijević, the author of the exhibition, explained that after Yugoslavia's conflict with the USSR, the U.S. recognized the strategic value of Yugoslav forces in the event of Soviet aggression. As a result, Yugoslavia, as the only communist country involved, was effectively part of NATO and engaged in "typical Cold War alliance" activities. Dimitrijević noted that the JNA was involved in joint planning with the U.S. and NATO in Europe until the Trieste crisis. He highlighted that the extensive armament and equipment provided to the JNA made it a formidable force compared to other Eastern Bloc countries.
Dimitrijević also recalled that in the late 1950s, Josip Broz Tito unilaterally terminated this aid following a rapprochement with the USSR and his initial visits to Asia and Africa.
