The Bosnian War erupted in the early 1990s after the disintegration of Yugoslavia, a southeastern European country located in the Balkans. The conflict was rooted in centuries-old tensions among Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs regarding land, religion, and sovereignty. As violence escalated and the death toll mounted, the United States and other NATO countries intervened, initiating peace talks at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, beginning on November 1, 1995.
The negotiations were fragile and tense. For two and a half weeks, the world could only speculate about what was unfolding between U.S. officials, foreign delegates, and the three Balkan presidents: Slobodan Milošević of Serbia, Alija Izetbegović of Bosnia, and Franjo Tuđman of Croatia. Despite widespread skepticism, the parties reached an agreement on Tuesday, November 21.
A formal signing was scheduled for the following month in Paris, but on that November day in Dayton, the negotiating team gathered in front of the press to initial the agreement. Joining the presidents were U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke, along with German Ambassador Wolfgang Ischinger, British Representative Pauline Neville-Jones, European Union Ambassador Carl Bildt, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, and French Representative Jacques Blot.
Dayton Daily News photographer Jan Underwood documented the entire event. This collection of images, derived from negatives in the Dayton Daily News Archive (MS-458), shows the participants initialing the document, giving speeches, and the moments in between. It also captures candid, behind-the-scenes moments of the press that reveal the fast-paced world of 1990s journalism.
If you are interested in experiencing more, The International Peace Museum in Dayton, Ohio, maintains a permanent collection dedicated to the Dayton Peace Accords, helping to preserve the legacy of this historic agreement and inviting visitors to learn more about the pursuit of peace and diplomacy.
