Sir, - While the people of Serbia endure the onslaught of NATO cruise missiles and bombers, it should be remembered that this is not be their first experience of "allied" bombing. In 1944, "allies" launched a bombing campaign against "military" targets in Nazi-occupied Serbia. The first American raid took place on the Orthodox Easter Sunday. Their first "bull's eye" was Belgrade Maternity Hospital. More Serb civilians died as the result of these raids than were killed by German bombing in April 1941.
Yet the Serbs bore no animosity towards the "allies"; the casualties were accepted as the price that had to be paid to destroy the Nazis. Moreover, during the second World War 515 downed American pilots were rescued by the Serb guerrillas of General D. Mihajlovic. Serbs paid a terrible price for this chivalry; dozens of Serb villages were torched, and the Germans shot countless numbers of civilians for refusing to give up the rescued pilots. One of these wrote in his memoirs how, in the company of guerrillas, he watched from a nearby hill while the Germans set fire to the village below and executed the entire population. He wanted to give himself up, but was prevented from doing so. To the Serbs, the welfare of their "guest" was paramount.
Today, the US pilots' targets are Serbian. Those who are shot down - and they will be - should not expect the same hospitality again. - Yours, etc., Zivko Jaksic,
Serbian Information Bureau, Grange Road, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.