In December 1991, Germany boldly defied global opinion and extended diplomatic recognition to Croatia and Slovenia—two states that wanted to break away from Yugoslavia and start a civil war. America and the rest of Europe protested the breakaway. But Germany, supported by the Vatican, imposed its will on the West, and war erupted in the Balkans. The conflict eventually spread from Croatia and Slovenia into Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. (Stephen Flurry, How America Helped Germany Conquer Europe, March 28, 2017.)But there is a problem with this statement. The war started months earlier.
Slovenia fought its war of independence from June 27-July 7, 1991. After that the Brioni Agreement was signed and Belgrade agreed to withdraw the Yugoslav military from Slovenia. The last federal soldiers left Slovenia on October 26. Slovenia was already de facto independent before December 1991.
Armed conflict in Croatia began as early as March 31, 1991 with the Plitvice Lakes incident. On May 19, 1991 a referendum was held in which 94% of the voting public voted for Croatia to become independent. Croatia proclaimed independence on June 25. Belgrade went to war to bring Croatia back under Yugoslav rule. One particularly severe battle was the Battle of Vukovar which raged from August 25-November 18, 1991 in which Yugoslav forces besieged and eventually seized Vukovar. On the Yugoslav side 1,103-1,561 soldiers died. On the Croatian side 879 died. Also 1,131 civilians were killed. Furthermore 550 people went missing.
All that happened before Germany recognized Slovenia and Croatia as independent states in December 1991. Considering these things how can Stephen Flurry say that the wars started in December 1991?