Leading up to the Great War

2. Leading up to the Great War The Balkans

3. Fierce rivalry between key players • Germany • Italy • Russia • Austria-Hungary • Ottoman Empire • Britain • France

4. Rivalries • Territorial claims • Nationalism • Imperialism • Militarism & arms race • Industrialization races • Balance of Power • Old, bitter disputes

5. Triple Alliance (Central Powers) • Bismarck turns to Europe after unifying Germany  sees France as biggest “threat,” so tries to isolate it • Finds allies in Austria-Hungary and Italy = Triple Alliance • Russia also wooed by Germany, but not successfully • (Italy leaves when the war starts, citing alliance was for defensive purposes; Ottoman Empire added)

6. Triple Entente (Allied Powers) • Wilhelm I dies, Wilhelm II is Kaiser kicks out Bismarck • Wilhelm is militaristic and greedy (without the political savvy of Bismarck) = bad combo • Britain & France united against common enemy (Germany) to counter Balance of Power; convince Russia to join • 1907 – Europe divided into two alliances

7. Crisis in the Balkans • Balkans = Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia (was Yugoslavia until 1990s) + Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, and Turkey (kind of). • Very politically, religiously, and culturally diverse • Used to be ruled by Ottoman Empire, which is crumbling • Now split between Ottomans and A-H Empires  series of wars between the two in 1800s • Not as rich as rest of the empire and other parts of Europe + feelings of being conquered = lots of nationalism

9. Congress of Berlin • Seven big powers sit down to resolve geo-political mess that is Balkans in 1878 • Hosted by Bismarck in Berlin (no small countries invited) • Goals: • Sort out Russo-Turkish war • dBalance power via territory redistribution • Cripple Pan-Slavism (& Russia) • Protect Christian Europeans in Ottoman Empire • Results: • Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Romania given independence • Macedonia goes to Ottomans • Bosnia-Herzegovina goes to Austria • Britain gets Cyprus • Ottomans promise many reforms

10. Greater Serbia • During Ottoman rule, people moved around freely, so largest ethnic group, Serbia, scattered in all these new lands • Serbia • 1.) believes it is their right to united lands into one larger Serbia that can be major player in Europe • 2.) don’t trust A-H to stop with B-H • Plays on young nationalism starting extremist, terrorist groups known as the Black Hand • Plan is to do something violent in A-H to get Serbians there to revolt and join Serbia

12. The Great War starts • After failing to assassinate other royals, Black Hand settle on Franz Ferdinand • Series of errors lead to Archduke Franz Ferdinand & wife Sofie killed June 28, 1914 • Ferdinand is heir to A-H emperor Franz Josef • Gavrilo Princip, 19, (member of Black Hand) assassinates him • Austria makes ridiculous ultimatum to Serbia • Serbia rejects them; Russia promises to protect Slavic brothers Serbia • Germany tells them both to chill • Austria asks Germany for “blank check” Kaiser is on vacation, Germany says “yes” (without thinking) • Austria attacks, Russia backs Serbia, France backs Russia (Triple Entente), Germany backs Austria • Ottomans jump in to get even with Russia • Germany has plan for invasion called Schlieffen Plan (France then Russia) • Britain is cautious but promises to protect Belgium (royal families friends) • Germany invades France around Maginot Line via Belgium • Britain declares war on Germany

13. East-West vs. Central • Ottoman’s join Triple Alliance to get even with Russia from Russo-Turk War • Two teams: • Britain (Belgium), France, Russia (Serbia) = Triple Entente • Germany, Austria-Hungary, Ottoman Empire = Triple Alliance