This book analyzes the changing portrayal of Yugoslavia?s World War II experience in music, film, and literature. It argues that the disappearance of unifying themes from the cultural sphere opened the doors to the popularization of controversial and divisive subjects. Shifting perceptions of how Yugoslavs fought and survived the Second World War contributed to the destruction of Yugoslavia.
The first chapter focuses on World War II in Yugoslavia. The second chapter discusses the early development of Yugoslav culture and its dependence on the Second World War. The third chapter follows the development of Yugoslav culture through the 1960s and 1970s when political liberalization promoted greater freedom in the arts. Aside from inspiring artists to address new themes and approach old themes from a fresh perspective, it also permitted the stirrings of political dissent. The fourth chapter addresses the disappearance of the Yugoslav idea from the cultural realm during the 1980s.