Bismarckian System & “Sick Man of Europe” Apparently Biz Knew What He Was Doing After All

Bismarckian System Unified Germany upset Metternich’s system (balance of power) Bismarck feared French retaliation (as a result of the Franco-Prussian War—Alsace- Lorraine) 1873: Bismarck created the Three Emperors League (A-H, Russia, & Germany)

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans Both Russia and Austria wanted –Russia: Balkans provided shortest land route to Constantinople and the Straits –Austria: area was fertile ground for expansion

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans 1876: Serbia and Montenegro declared war on the Ottomans –Both were defeated –Russia (with approval from Austria) attacked and defeated the Ottomans –1878-Treaty of San Stefano: created large Bulgarian state-and viewed as a Russian satellite

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans Congress of Berlin (1878): –Dominated by Bismarck –destroyed the Treaty of San Stefano –Bulgarian State was reduced-returning some territory to the Ottomans –Serbia, Montenegro, and Romania were now independent –Bosnia and Herzegovina were placed under Austrian protection (Austria could occupy but not annex)

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans New alliances were established: –Russians ended the Three Emperors League (angered by the Congress of Berlin) –Bismarck made an alliance with Austria (1879) & Italy joined in 1882 (known as the Triple Alliance) –Bismarck made a Reinsurance Treaty with Russia (1887)—wanted to prevent a Franco-Russian alliance –1890: Bismarck dismissed

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans Wilhelm II: –Dropped the Reinsurance Treaty –This brought France and Russia together British: –Pursued a “splendid isolation” of continental affairs –Many European countries condemned the Boer War –Feared that the continent would turn on them

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans British: –Needed a continental ally –French and Russians were not logical choice –Germans seemed like a “natural ally” (similar heritage---Anglo-Saxons) However the Germans were Industrial rivals Germans had a growing navy –1904: British France created the Entente Cordiale

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans German response: First Moroccan Crisis-1905 –Attempted to drive a wedge b/w England and France –Only brought the allies (France England, Russia) together against Germany

Bismarckian System-Problem in the Balkans By 1907 two major blocs –Triple Alliance Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy –Triple Entente Russia, France, Great Britain

Crises in the Balkans ( ) 1878: Bosnia & Herzegovina were under the protection of Austria 1908: Austria annexed the 2 Slavic territories Serbia is mad, they wanted to create a large Serbian kingdom

Crises in the Balkans ( ) A-H annexed the 2 areas b/c the Empire felt threatened by the large Slavic population (nationalism) Russians: felt as if they were the protectors of the Slavic population & supported them against the Austrians

Crises in the Balkans ( ) Serbs prepared for war Wilhelm II intervened, told the Russians to accept the annexation or face war with Germany Russians backed down- promised revenge

Crises in the Balkans ( ) 1912: Serbia Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece organized the Balkan League –Defeated the Ottoman Empire –Allies fought over the newly acquired lands of Albania and Macedonia

Crises in the Balkans ( ) 1913: Second Balkan War –Greece, Serbia, Romania, & the Ottoman Empire attacked and defeated Bulgaria –As a result, most of Macedonia was divided b/w Serbia and Greece

Crises in the Balkans ( ) Serbia was still unhappy –At end of the 2 wars Austria organized the London Conference: Austria created an independent Albania (Germans supported the Austrians) –(Serbs) Desired the Albanian territory—this would give them a port on the Adriatic –Serbian nationalism grew (portraying the Austrians as evil) –Russians vowed to support the Serbs, and not back down to A-H & Germany again

Sum It Up In 3 Bullets