Thoughts from Bosnian / Balkans War

[RicInOR]

The Brutal Truth About Violence When the SHTF - The Organic Prepper

Rather Longer article / Interview over at OrganicPrepper

If you don't know Selco, he's from Bosnia and he lived through a year in a city that was blockaded with no utilities, no deliveries of supplies, and no services. In his interviews, he shares what the scenarios the rest of us theorize about were REALLY like. He mentioned to me recently that most folks aren't prepared for the violence that is part and parcel of a collapse, which brings us to today's interview.

We were living a normal life, and then suddenly we were thrown in a way of living where if you could not "negotiate" something with someone, you solve the problem by launching a rocket from an RPG through the window of his living room.

Selco survived the Balkan war of the 90s in a city under siege, without electricity, running water, or food distribution.
In his online works, he gives an inside view of the reality of survival under the harshest conditions. He reviews what works and what doesn't, tells you the hard lessons he learned, and shares how he prepares today.

He never stopped learning about survival and preparedness since the war. Regardless what happens, chances are you will never experience extreme situations like Selco did. But you have the chance to learn from him and how he faced death for months.

Read More

 

[Camelfilter]

The Brutal Truth About Violence When the SHTF - The Organic Prepper

Rather Longer article / Interview over at OrganicPrepper

It was also interesting what his thoughts were / are on trade goods of value. Forget exactly what, but simple small things like bic type lighters come to mind as trade valued items...

"For example, candles are really cheap today but will be rare when SHTF."

 

[Siglvr]

Good stuff. Early on I asked Selco about Gold and Silver when the SHTF. At the start he said, very, very valuable. He notes that some folks used gold to bribe UN workers for rides to safety. Later it had nearly no value.

#1 value must have items were guns and ammo. I thought that some things you never think of were critically needed were of interest. We all think about toilet paper and water filters, but I'll offer up that dude said trash bags were on item that had significant value during the siege.

 

[pdxjimbo]

Read this article from another source and see that there is already a thread here on it.

It is a good read. Especially with the world today.

Much good info.

Get your Bic lighters now before they sell out

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I served a "Peacekeeping" tour over there...not the best of memories...useful memories...just not the best.
Andy

 

[JuglansRegia]

Tobacco, alcohol, diesel and gasoline, window glass, firewood are also some other commodities to think about in addition to the obvious arms and food, also each side printed their own paper money which was almost worthless, the DM (duetch mark) was the universally accepted currency.

 

[Member 52301]

I remember reading this man's writing in the past. Thank you for the link.

I would write something else but it would get political due to the HISTORY of that area before and after the break up - end of Commie rule. So I will not write it. Tito, etc.

My late husband's ship was one of the first USN's ships to 'tie up' - allowed to dock in that area in the late 60's. His Captain told the destroyer crew to not start WW3. LOL

It was on one of his Med cruises, after a Nam one, before another scheduled Nam tour, and many other tours all around the world. I had old black/white 'slides' and one ancient picture where some young boy wanted to have his picture taken with the NICE, smiling, tall, lean, handsome and blond haired sailor wearing eyeglasses = my late husband - the kid's words were translated to my late husband. If my memory serves me right, that picture was one of many in the ship's book - album for that one specific tour. I believe that they had many pictures of Split, Yugoslavia (Ones that were allowed to be taken under Communist rule.), other ports in the Med, Malta, etc.
That young boy's SMILE was huge and even though there was a translator for those people speaking to the crew - you could tell that the smile was genuine and the people appreciated the KINDNESS of all of the crew members on that ship. The younger people really welcomed the crew and so did many older folks in that country.

I wonder what happened to that young boy and others like him 'down the road'.

My late husband had thoughts about the break up of Yugo and those wars too. He was still alive when that all came down.

Cate

 

[MfnLeadFarmer]

Safe Area Gorazde: The War in Eastern Bosnia 1992-1995

The winner of the 2001 Eisner Award for Best New Graphic Album. Sacco spent five months in Bosnia in 1996, immersing himself in the human side of life during wartime, researching stories that are rarely found in conventional news coverage, emerging with this astonishing first-person account...

www.fantagraphics.com