Issue: 1/2019

THE ARMED FORCES OF YUGOSLAVIA AT WAR AGAINST NATO IN 1999: FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SERBIAN DAILY NEWSPAPER VEČERNJE NOVOSTI

Authors:
Nemanja Glišić

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The Serbian daily newspaper Večernje novosti played a significant role in information warfare against the North Atlantic Alliance in 1999. Unlike NATO troops, which were described as cowards and prone to desertion, the Armed Forces of Yugoslavia were glorified and portrayed as brave and heroic, with high morale and professionalism. A large number of reports were about the role and efficiency of the Yugoslav Air Force and Air Defence and alleged combat losses of NATO military aircraft. According to the claims of Večernje novosti, NATO lost at least eighty warplanes, twelve helicopters, nineteen unmanned aerial vehicles, and more than 120 cruise missiles. The shootdown of a U.S. Air Force F‐117 stealth aircraft and the capture of three American soldiers drew the most media attention. Reports about combat losses of dozens of NATO soldiers during search and rescue operations were also relatively common. If one compares claims of Večernje novosti about NATO losses with the official numbers, one can conclude that those claims were part of Serbian war propaganda in order to avoid panic and defeatism, and to persuade the Yugoslav population of the efficacy and success of its national defense. In accordance with information warfare strategy, Večernje novosti did not give much attention to the war losses of Yugoslav Army. The only exception was the emphasis on individual examples of heroic death during the defense of the Fatherland.