m the immigration from other Dalmatian towns, of ethnic Italians who wished to live under Italian rule.
In 1941 the Axis Powers attacked Yugoslavia, which collapsed in few days. Italy annexed part of Dalmatia; the remainder became part of the new Independent State of Croatia. On September 8, 1943, after the declaration of the Armistice with Italy, the Italian Army collapsed and Josip Broz Tito's Partisans took over the island, incorporating it into Yugoslavia. The partisans executed Martin Tomasin, appointed Fascist governor. Lastovo became a part of the People's Republic of Croatia in 1945�one of the six Republics of the Federal People's Republic of Yugoslavia and into the Socialist Republic of Croatia � one of the republics of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1953. At this time all the Italian residents left the island.
After World War II, Lastovo experienced the same fate as the neighbouring island Vis. The island became a military region barred to foreign nationals. The barring of foreign nationals led to economic stagnation and the depopulation of the island. In 1988 the ban was lifted and foreign tourists were again allowed to visit the island.
Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, but the Yugoslav People's Army only left its bases on Lastovo, one of its last footholds in Croatia, in July 1992. The war in Croatia ended in 1995. Lastovo escaped much of the devastation that swept across some parts of Croatia and most of neighbouring Bosnia
