Lewis MacKenzie was named chief of staff of the United Nations peacekeeping force in former Yugoslavia in February 1992. Although the purpose of the mission was to ensure a cease-fire in newly independent Croatia, the UN headquarters were located in the Bosnian capital, Sarajevo. Soon after the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was created, MacKenzie found himself in the midst of warring ethnic factions. In May 1992 he created Sector Sarajevo and with his UN force set about opening the Sarajevo airport for the delivery of humanitarian aid. MacKenzie became an international celebrity by using the only weapon at his disposal, the media, to try to help restore peace.