1. International Rivalry and the Coming of War

2. Decline of the Ottoman Empire
The Balkans
Nationalism of different groups
Corrupt, inefficient group
European Powers
Kept Empire alive to keep balance of power
Russia wants route to Constantinople and the Straits
Austria wants more fertile ground
Germany didn’t want Russia and Austria to fight
Serbia and Montenegro
Declare war on Ottoman Empire in 1876
Ottoman Empire defeats, but
Russia with Austrian support attack and defeat Ottoman
Treaty of San Stefano 1878 creates larger Bulgarian state viewed as a Russian satellite

3. Ottoman decline continued
Congress of Berlin 1878
Goal to rebalance power
Didn’t like Treaty of San Stefano so demolished it
Bismarck dominated
Bulgarian state is reduced and much returned to Ottoman Empire
Serbia, Montenegro and Romania are now independent
Bosnia and Herzegovina under Austria protection (it could occupy, but not annex)
Germany received no territory but, felt peace was preserved

4. New Alliances Triple Alliance Reinsurance Treaty
Germany, Austria, and Italy
Defend alliance against France or any 2 or more nations
vs.
Reinsurance Treaty
Germany and Russia
Germany wants to make sure they don’t fight on 2 fronts +

5. New Directions and New Crisis
Germany under Emperor William II
Activist foreign policy
Dropped treaty with Russia (thought it was at odds with alliance with Austria
France and Russia = military alliance in 1894
Great Britain drops history of isolationism
Fear after European condemnation of actions against Boers
Who to ally with??
France and Russia were imperialistic competitors
Germany maybe???
France and Great Britain allied with Entente Cordial
1st Moroccan Crisis 1905
Germany instigates trouble between France and Great Britain
Russia sides with France and Great Britain
Conference at Algeciras
Spain gave its part of Morocco to France
France, Great Britain, and Russia now wary of Germany
Germany now paranoid
Triple Alliance vs. Triple Entente

6. Crisis in the Balkans 1908 - 1913 Bosnian Crisis 1908-09
Austria annexes Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serbia wanted to make it satellite (Austria’s reason)
Russia supports Serbs in looming war
William II says Russia must back down or fight Germany (they did, but want revenge)
Balkan League 1912
League is Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Greece
Defeat the Ottoman Empire in 1st Balkan War
Division of Macedonia and Albania lead to 2nd Balkan War
Greece, Serbia, Romania, and Ottoman attack Bulgaria
Bulgaria keeps tiny portion of Macedonia
Rest is divided between Serbia and Greece
Subjugation leads to bitterness and tension

7. Balkan Crisis Adriatic Port Serbia wants it
Blocked by Austria’s creation of independent Albania in which they are backed by Germany
Serbia is very anti-Austrian and German feel they are “keeping them down”
Russia support Serbia and feels that it can’t back down this time!
Threats
Austria-Hungary convinced that Serbia is a mortal threat
France and Russia renew their alliance and say no more backing down
Beginning of 1914 there are 2 armed camps waiting for spark