1. International Rivalry and the Coming of War By: Thane and Dominique

2. Bismarckian System In 1873 Bismarck made an alliance with Austria-Hungary and Russia. These states were the traditionally conservative powers.

3. The Balkans The Balkans main problem was the by-product of the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Empires destruction frightened other European powers because of each others designs for the Balkans so they tried to keep the Ottoman Empire alive This caused tension between Russia and Austria who both wanted the Balkans for their own designs.

4. New Crises Emperor William II tried to enhance German power in the world Bismarck dropped the Reinsurance treaty with Russia But the dropping of the treaty brought, Bismarck’s worst fear, Russia and France closer together. In 1894 France and Russia concluded a military alliance.

5. Triple Entente After Germany dropped their treaty with Russia, Russia, France, and Great Britain formed a loose confederation known as the Triple Entente. The Triple Entente caused Germany, Austria- Hungary, and Italy to form their own triple alliance.

6. Trouble in the Balkans Austria annexed two Slavic speaking countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina That annexation destroyed the hopes of Serbia creating a grand Serbian empire Austria thought that a large Serbian empire would threaten the unity of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Greece, Serbia, and Montenegro, organized the Balkan League and defeated the Ottomans in the first Balkan War.

7. Serbia Serbia’s main goal at the time was to acquire Albanian territory that would give it a port on the Adriatic Sea. Austria stopped Serbia’s advance by creating an independent Albania. Serbians started to portray the Austrians as monsters for keeping Serbs from creating their own Serbian empire.

8. Work Cited Unknown. "Triple Entente." HowStuffWorks. How Stuff Works Inc., 2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2012.. Young, G. "Balkan Wars." Infoplease. Infoplease, 2007. Web. 12 Apr. 2012..