SERBIA
Why did Serbia join the WAR?
MILITARISM
 Alliances: King, Peter had served with the French during the
unsuccessful Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 and, in 1875, joined the
Bosnian insurrection against the Ottomans.
 So, he view the Ottomans as an enemy and will be prepared to fight
them.
 Serbia also views the Austro-Hungarian Empire as an enemy as they
had taken Bosnia from them during the Balkan Wars.
 They went to War to reunite with their ‘Slav” bothers the Bosnians.
ALLIANCE SYSTEM
 Alliances: King, Peter had served with the French during the
unsuccessful Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71 and, in 1875, joined
the Bosnian insurrection against the Ottomans.
 So, he joins the Allies in support of the French.
 Serbia and Russia were Slavic brothers, so they too formed an
alliance. Serbian felt confident with Russia at their BACK.
NATIONALISM
 With the outbreak of war in Europe only a month away, and with Serbia in civil
turmoil following the successful outcome of the Balkan Wars. In June, 1914 Peter
passed executive control of government to his second son Alexander (who became
Regent) on grounds of increasing ill health. .
 War became a War for the new ruler to prove himself and unite his nation.
 Serbia and Russia were of the same ethnicity “Slav”, so Russian felt the need to
protect them and Serbia to see them as friends.
IMPERIALISM
 Serbs settled the Balkan Peninsula and 1166, a Serbian warrior and chief, founded the
first Serbian state. By the 14th century, it became the most powerful state in the Balkans.
After Serbia was defeated in the Battle of Kosovo in 1389, it was absorbed into the
Ottoman Empire. Throughout the 19th century its struggle against Ottoman rule
intensified, and in 1878 Serbia gained independence after Russia defeated the Ottoman
Turks in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877–1878. In the Balkan wars (1912–1913), Serbia
and other Balkan states seized hold of more former Ottoman lands on the peninsula.
 War became a way for the Serbians to regain land they had lost and join with their
Serb brothers the Bosnians.
ASSASSINATION/SPARK
 Serbians wanted unite with their Bosnian Serb brothers and
unofficially helped the “Black Hand” assassinated the next ruler of
Austria Hungary.
 When found out and issued an ultimatum by A/H, they had no
choice but to go to war.