WWI – Crisis Start War Part 2

Crisis in Morocco Germans encircle (France & Russia) Germans govt decides to test new alliance –How strong? –How far were they willing to go –How into it was GB? German Kaiser makes speech about Moroccan independence

Everyone knew real reason for speech –Break up “understanding” between GB & France –Brits disturbed by Germ tactics, stood by France –Germ attempt to break Entente failed –Actually just made it stronger

Crisis in the Balkans Ottoman empire still controlled Balkans mostly –But ottoman’s “sick man of europe” Different nationalities –Serbs –Bosnians –Croats –Slovenes Spoke same language

Difference –Serbs & Bosnians wrote with eastern alphabet Were eastern orthodox –Croats & Slovenes wrote with roman/western alphabet Were roman catholic –Also especially in Bosnia large population of Muslim Slavs –Still maybe felt they were one people

Some Slavs were part of the Austrian Hungarian Empire –But felt they would never get equal status to either Austrians or Hungarians –Believed they should break away and form own state –Serbia already free, so becomes center of Slavic agitation

Ottoman Empire 1908 Young turks bring about a revolution Made sultan bring back constitution and parliament Had representatives from Bosnia and Bulgaria sit in parliament –See representatives, no need for independence But didn’t really strengthen empire still too weak

1 st Balkan’s Crisis Russia and Aust. Come to secret agreement 1908 They would call international conference –Russia would support Aust in annexing Bosnia –Aust would support Russ in opening Straits to Russian gun ships –Made Serbs man, they wanted Bosnia –Also Bulgaria becomes independent of Ottoman Empire –Crete leaves Ottomans and joins Greece

Russia never got Straits But common knowledge in Russia that Serbs are their “little slavic brothers” and their toes had been stepped on by Austria

2 nd Balkan Crisis 1911 Italy declared war on Turkey –Italy gains Tripoli and Dodecanese Islands 1913 Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece declare war on Turkey –Russia supported all Serbia’s claims –Austria wanted to prevent Serbs from gaining sea access (which would be Albania) –So independent Albania created –Another Balkan war would spell disaster...

2 Maps Of the Balkans Peninsula, before and after Balkan's crisis

Before Balkan Crisis

Area After Balkans Crisis