Some parts of today's Serbia had been under the occupation of the Ottoman Empire (from 1459 until 1804) while other parts were occupied by Habsburg monarchy (1526–1804), Austrian Empire (1804–1867), and Austria-Hungary (1867–1918). Upon regaining its independence (partial in 1804 and full in 1878), the Serbian state strengthened and expanded and was in 1918 the driving force behind the creation of Yugoslavia (the land of South Slavs, a multi-ethnic state that over the following seven decades experienced various models of governance). In 1992 Yugoslavia disintegrated, although two of its constituent units - Serbia and Montenegro - continued in the same federal state under the same name Yugoslavia until 2003, when they re-organized into Serbia and Montenegro. After the Montenegrin independence referendum in May 2006, Serbia, as the only remaining unit in the federation, restored its independence on 5 June 2006.
The United States announced on May 21, 1992, that it would not recognize the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, comprising the republics of Serbia and Montenegro, as the successor to the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The embassy was closed March 23, 1999. Miles and the last Embassy personnel left March 24, and NATO armed forces began military action against Serbia-Montenegro that evening.
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