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I. New Directions and New Crises
- a. Emperor William II embarked on an activist foreign policy dedicated to enhancing German power by finding Germany’s rightful “place in the sun”
- i. One change in Bismarck’s foreign policy was to drop the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia, which he viewed sa being at odds with Germany’s alliance with Austria
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Ending Alliance
- 1. Ending of the alliance achieved what Bismarck feared: brought France and Russia together
- a. Long isolated by Bismarck’s policies, republican France leaped at the chance to draw closer to tsarist Russia, and in 1894, the two powers concluded a military alliance
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Next ten years
- a. During the next ten years, German policies abroad caused the British to draw closer to France
- i. 1907: a loose confederation of Great Britain, France, and Russia—the Triple Entente—opposed the Triple Alliance of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy
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Europe divided
- i. Europe divided into ttwo opposing camps that became more uncompromising
- 1. When the members of the two alliances became involved in a new series of crises between 1908 and 1913 over control of the remnants of the Ottoman Empire in the Balkans, the stage was set for WWI
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Crises in the Balkans
- a. Crises in the Balkans, 1908-1913
- i. Bosnian Crisis of 1908-1909 initiated a chain of events
- 1. Since 1878, Bosnia and Herzegovina under protection of Austria, but in 1908, Austria annexed them
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SErbia
- a. Serbia outraged because it dashed their hopes of creating a large Srebian kingdom that would include omost o fhte souther Slavs
- i. This is why Austria annexed them because a large Serbia would threaten unity of Austro-Hungarian Empire, with its large Slavic population
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Russians
- 1. Russians, as protectors of their fellow Slavs and desiring to increase their own authority in the Balkans, supported the Serbs and opposed the Austrian action
- a. Backed by the Russians, the Serbs mobilized against Austria
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William II
- i. At this point, Williiam II invtervened and demanded htat the Russians accept Austria’s annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina or war with Germany
- b. Weakened from their defeat in the Russo-Japanese war in 1904-05, the Russians backed down and now vowed revenge
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European attention
- i. European attention returned to the Balkans in 1912 when Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece organized the Balkan Leauge and defeated the Ottomans in the First Balkan War
- ii. When victorious allies were unable to agree on how to divide the conquered Ottoman provinces of Macedonia and Albania, the Second Balkan War erupted in 1913
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SEcond Balkan War
- i. Second Balkan War erupted in 1913
- 1. Greece, Serbia, Romania dn the Ottoma Empire attacked and defeated Bulgaria.
- a. Result: Bulgaria obtained only a small part of Macedonia, and most of the rest was divided between Serbia and Greece
- i. Serbia’s aspirations were left unfulfilled
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Two Balkan wars
i. The two Balkan Wars left the inhabitants embittered and created more tensions among the great powers
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One of serbia's ambitions
- a. One of Serbia’s major ambitions: acquire Albanian territory that would give it a port on the Adriatic
- i. London Conferece: arranged by Austria at end of two Balkan wars; Austrians blocked Serbia’s wishes by creating an independent Albania
- ii. The Germans, as Austrian allies, supported
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Serbian nationalists
- i. Serbian nationalists saw Austrians as monstrous
- 1. Russians also upset and knew they couldn’t back down in the event of a confrontation with Austria and Germany
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Austria-Hungary
- a. Austria-Hugnary achieved aim, but saw Serbia as threat that must be crushed
- i. Meanwhile, French and Russian governments renewed their alliance and promised each other they would not back down at next crisis
- ii. British drew closer to France
- 1. Two armed camps viewed each as suspicious
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