Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with other republics, was part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia under the leadership of Josip Broz Tito. This era was marked by a delicate balance of power among the different ethnic groups: Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), Croats, Serbs, and others. Tito's regime maintained a semblance of stability through a combination of socialist ideology, economic development, and a strong centralized government. However, upon Tito's death in 1980, the inherent ethnic tensions and nationalist sentiments began to resurface.