19th century European Politics

• Dominated by Bismarck

• Bismarck feared French revenge

• 1873, Bismarck makes an alliance with Russian & Austria-Hungary

• Rivalry between Russia & Austria-Hungary

• Ottoman Empire was deteriorating

• Balkan states desire independence

• Both Russia & Austria-Hungary want Balkans:

• Russia - Overland route to Mediterranean

• Austria - opportunity for expansion

• Germany - worried about a Russia-Austria War

• 1876, Serbia & Montenegro declare war on Ottoman Empire, but are defeated

• Russia attacks and defeats Ottomans

• 1878, Treaty of San Stefano created Bulgarian state

• Response: Congress of Berlin

• Destroyed Treaty of San Stefano

• Reduced Bulgarian state

• Serbia, Montenegro, & Romania recognized as independent states

• Under Austrian protection: Bosnia & Herzegovina

• Russia humiliated

Congress of Berlin

• Europeans sought new alliances:

• Triple Alliance: Germany, Austria, Italy

• Reinsurance Treaty (1887): Germany & Russia

• Emperor William II dismissed Bismarck (1890)

• Dropped treaty with Russia

• Divided Europe into two camps

Increasing Destabilization:

Triple Alliance - Germany, Austro-Hungary, Italy

Triple Entente - Great Britain, France, Russia

• Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente

Crisis in the Balkans

1908-1913

• 1908, Austria annexed Bosnia & Herzegovina

• Serbia outraged, prepares to attack Austria

• Russia supports Serbia

• Germany threatens attack Russia unless they accept the annexation

• Russia humiliated

Balkan Crisis 1908

Balkan Crisis 1912

• Balkan League defeat the Ottomans in the First Balkan War

• Victorious allies could not agree on how to divide Macedonia & Albania which led to the Second Balkan War in 1913

London Conference

• Arranged by Austria at the end of Balkan Wars

• Albania made independent state, which infuriated Serbia

• Russia is prepared for war

• Alliances strengthen

By 1914, Europe is divided into two armed

camps.

Balkan Wars finished off the Ottoman Empire