International Rivalry
and
the Coming of War
Chapter 24
The Bismarckian System
• Three Emperors’ League: Germany, AustriaHungary, and Russia
• Balkans:
▫ Both Russia and Austria wanted the Balkans; Russia
for shortest overland route to Constantinople and
Mediterranean, Austria for expansion.
▫ Serbia and Montenegro declared war on Ottoman
Empire in 1876 and lost, but Russia attacked and
defeated the Ottomans.
▫ Treaty of San Stefano 1878: created Bulgaria, gave
Russia a satellite
▫ Congress of Berlin 1878: dominated by Bismarck,
reduced Bulgaria; Serbia, Montenegro and
Romania became independent; Bosnia and
Herzegovina were placed under Austrian
protection
• New Alliances:
▫ Russia was mad and terminated Three Emperors’
League in 1879
▫ Triple Alliance of 1882: Germany, Austria, Italy
▫ Reinsurance Treaty 1887: Germany and Russia,
worry of two-front war
• 1890, Bismarck dismissed by Emperor
William II !
• New Directions and New Crises:
▫ Emperor William II: “place in the sun”, let treaty
with Russia lapse
▫ Triple Entente: Great Britain, France, and Russia
▫ Opposing camps, inflexible, unwilling to
compromise
• Crises in the Balkans, 1908-1913:
▫ Bosnian Crisis (1908-1909): Bosnia and
Herzegovina were annexed by Austria, Serbia
outraged, Russia supported Serbia but wasn’t
ready for war
▫ First Balkan War: 1912, Balkan League defeated
Ottomans and conquered Macedonia and Albania
▫ Second Balkan War: 1913, fought over division of
land
▫ Serbia wanted Albanian land to give them a port
on Adriatic Sea
▫ London Conference: independence for Albania,
Serbia and Russia upset, militarism
▫ Spark for the powder keg?