what was the balkan peninsula known as during ww1

Why was the Balkan peninsula called Powder Keg?

The Balkans were called the “powder keg” of Europe because many of the Balkans’ countries had nationalist independence movements. Before World War 1, this part of Southeastern Europe had so many ethnic, race, and political conflicts that made the zone living in constant tension.

Which countries in the Balkan Peninsula sided with the Allies?

Which countries in the Balkan Peninsula sided with the Allies? The Balkans Campaign, or Balkan Theatre of World War I was fought between the Central Powers, represented by Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Germany and the Ottoman Empire on one side and the Allies , represented by France, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia, and the United Kingdom (and later ...

What are facts about the Balkan Peninsula?

Geographical Facts About The Balkan Peninsula

• The Balkan Peninsula is mostly covered by mountainous zones.
• The total area of the Balkan Peninsula is 257,400 sq mi (666,700 sq km).
• The word 'Balkan' was first mentioned in the early 14th century by the Ottomans.
• There are four main mountain ranges in the Balkans.
• The Carpathian Mountains are a prominent feature of northern Romania.

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Why was the Balkan Peninsula considered?

Why was the Balkans considered the tinderbox of Europe? The Balkans were considered to be the the “ tinderbox” of Europe , since war there seemed inevitable. Between 1900 and 1914, the Western powers had successfully forced the Ottoman rulers to give up their European territories.

What was the Balkan Peninsula known as?

The term Balkan Peninsula was a synonym for Rumelia in the 19th century, the European provinces of the Ottoman Empire. It had a geopolitical rather than a geographical definition, which was further promoted during the creation of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in the early 20th century.

Why was the Balkan Peninsula known as the powder keg?

This Triple Entente, which squared o츾� against the German-Austro-Hungarian alliance, meant that any regional con춟�ict had the potential to turn into a general European war. As a result, the Balkans were known as the “powder keg” of Europe. A powder keg is a container for gunpowder which can erupt if there is a spark.

What is the Balkan Peninsula known as and why?

The most southeastern European peninsula is called the Balkan Peninsula. The name was first introduced by the German geographer August Zeune in 1808. Nowadays the area is known as the Balkans or Southeastern Europe.

Which area is known as powder keg?

The powder keg of Europe or Balkan powder keg was the Balkans in the early part of the 20th century preceding World War I.

What are the Balkans known for?

5. The Balkans is renowned for its stunning architectureBelgrade Fortress in Belgrade, Serbia.Cathedral Saint Alexandar Nevski in Sofia, Bulgaria.Avast Twist Tower in Sarajevo, Bosnia.Diocletian's Palace in Split, Croatia.the City Walls of Dubrovnik, Croatia.Krujë Castle in Krujë, Albania.the Church of St.

Why was the Balkan Peninsula important in ww1?

Continued instability and conflict in the Balkans was a significant cause of tension prior to World War I. A Serbian nationalist group there was involved in the assassination of Franz Ferdinand, which directly triggered the outbreak of war.

What happened in the Balkan Peninsula?

The Balkan Wars were two wars that took place in the Balkans in 1912 and 1913. Four Balkan states defeated the Ottoman Empire in the first war; one of the four, Bulgaria, was defeated in the second war. The Ottoman Empire lost nearly all of its holdings in Europe.

What is the Balkan Peninsula like in terms of geography?

The Balkan region is a triangular peninsula with a wide northern border, narrowing to a tip as it extends to the south. The Black, the Aegean, the Mediterranean and the Adriatic Seas surround it; they have served as both barriers and entry points.

What are two facts about Balkan?

The highest point of the Balkans is Mount Musala, 2,925 metres (9,596 ft), in the Rila mountain range, Bulgaria. The karst field or polje is a common feature of the landscape. Over the centuries forests have been cut down and replaced with bush. In the southern part and on the coast there is evergreen vegetation.

Where is the Balkan Peninsula?

The Balkans ( / ˈbɔːlkənz / BAWL-kənz ), also known as the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographic area in Southeast Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throughout the whole of Bulgaria. The Balkan Peninsula is bordered by the Adriatic Sea in the northwest, ...

Why is the Balkan Peninsula called the Greek Peninsula?

The term was not commonly used in geographical literature until the mid-19th century because already then scientists like Carl Ritter warned that only the part South of the Balkan Mountains can be considered as a peninsula and considered it to be renamed as "Greek peninsula". Other prominent geographers who didn't agree with Zeune were Hermann Wagner, Theobald Fischer, Marion Newbigin, Albrecht Penck, while Austrian diplomat Johann Georg von Hahn in 1869 for the same territory used the term Südostereuropäische Halbinsel ("Southeasterneuropean peninsula"). Another reason it was not commonly accepted as the definition of then European Turkey had a similar land extent. However, after the Congress of Berlin (1878) there was a political need for a new term and gradually "the Balkans" was revitalized, but in the maps, the northern border was in Serbia and Montenegro without Greece (it only depicted the Ottoman occupied parts of Europe), while Yugoslavian maps also included Croatia and Bosnia. The term Balkan Peninsula was a synonym for European Turkey, the political borders of former Ottoman Empire provinces.

Why was Haemus a mountain?

According to Greek mythology, the Thracian king Haemus was turned into a mountain by Zeus as a punishment and the mountain has remained with his name. A reverse name scheme has also been suggested. D. Dechev considers that Haemus (Αἷμος) is derived from a Thracian word *saimon, 'mountain ridge'.

What time zone is Balkans?

The time zones in the Balkans are defined as the following: Territories in the time zone of UTC+01:00: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia. Territories in the time zone of UTC+02:00: Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania.

What languages are spoken in the Balkans?

The Balkan region today is a very diverse ethnolinguistic region, being home to multiple Slavic and Romance languages, as well as Albanian, Greek, Turkish, and others. Romani is spoken by a large portion of the Romanis living throughout the Balkan countries. Throughout history, many other ethnic groups with their own languages lived in the area, among them Thracians, Illyrians, Romans, Celts and various Germanic tribes. All of the aforementioned languages from the present and from the past belong to the wider Indo-European language family, with the exception of the Turkic languages (e.g., Turkish and Gagauz ).

What countries were communist during the Cold War?

During the Cold War, most of the countries on the Balkans were governed by communist governments. Greece became the first battleground of the emerging Cold War. The Truman Doctrine was the US response to the civil war, which raged from 1944 to 1949. This civil war, unleashed by the Communist Party of Greece, backed by communist volunteers from neighboring countries (Albania, Bulgaria and Yugoslavia), led to massive American assistance for the non-communist Greek government. With this backing, Greece managed to defeat the partisans and, ultimately, remained the only non-communist country in the region.

What is the highest peak in the Balkans?

Nature and natural resources. Panorama of the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina). Its highest peak is Botev at a height of 2,376 m. Sutjeska National Park contains Perućica, which is the largest primeval forests in the Balkans, and one of the last remaining in Europe.

What was the first war in the Balkans?

This action initiated a cycle of fighting in South Eastern Europe that would continue until 1918. For the inhabitants of the Balkans, the First World War began in October 1912. The other Balkan allies followed on 18 October. Each Balkan ally fought a separate campaign against the Ottomans. Geography dictated that Thrace, located between the Bulgarian border and the Ottoman capital Constantinople, became the main theater of war. Three Bulgarian armies invaded eastern Thrace. One screened the important Ottoman fortress town of Adrianople (Odrin, Edirne) while on 29-31 October two further Bulgarian armies smashed the Ottomans in the battle of Lyule Burgas-Buni Hisar (Lüle Burgaz-Pinarhisar). The victorious Bulgarians pursued the Ottomans to their defensive positions at Chataldzha (Çatalca), about twenty miles outside of Constantinople. There, on 16-17 November, the Bulgarians attempted to force the lines and seize the ancient imperial city. Cholera and exhaustion plus determined Ottoman resistance prevented the Bulgarians from attaining their objective.

What was the first country to leave the Balkans?

Without the Serbs, however, the Montenegrins were vulnerable. Early in 1916 the Austrians launched an invasion of the smallest Balkan country. Cetinje fell on 11 January 1916 and Montenegro formally surrendered on 17 January, becoming the first country to leave the war. King Nikola went into exile from which he never returned. Austro-Hungarian troops occupied the country.

Why was Bulgaria important to the Entente?

For the Central Powers, Bulgaria would insure communication with the Ottoman Empire and the destruction of Serbia. For the Entente, the adherence of Bulgaria would greatly facilitate an attack on Constantinople and would support Serbia. Bulgaria was prepared to intervene on whichever side could guarantee the attainment of Bulgaria’s nationalist objectives in Macedonia. The Gallipoli campaign made Bulgaria particularly attractive to the Entente. Because the Serbs were unwilling to concede Macedonia, their prize from the Balkan Wars, the Entente could not meet the Bulgarian demand. For the Entente, Serbia was the ally whose distress had been a cause for the outbreak of the war. At best, the Entente could offer Bulgaria a part of Macedonia after the war when Serbia had presumably obtained Bosnia. The Central Powers had no such inhibitions. Bulgaria could have Macedonia immediately. Given the apparent Entente failure at Gallipoli and the German victories in Poland at Gorlice-Tarnow, the choice appeared obvious to the government in Sofia. Bulgaria could have a part of Macedonia at the end of the war, or all of it immediately. On 6 September 1915, Bulgaria joined the Central Powers. Several days earlier, on 3 September, in an agreement between Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire, the Ottomans ceded the lower Maritza valley to Bulgaria. This gave the Bulgarians control of the railroad line from Bulgaria to their newly acquired Aegean port at Dedeagach.

What was the Serbian position in the Balkans?

By 1917, the Serbian position in the Balkans was in peril. The Serbian government struggled to maintain their forces on the Macedonian Front. It controlled only a tiny area of Serbian territory around Monastir. Serbia’s Russian patron had collapsed in revolution and disarray. Internal discord led to the trial and execution of Colonel Dimitrijević. The acquisition of Habsburg territories seemed to be beyond the government’s reach. Meanwhile some South Slavic elements within and outside the Habsburg Empire began to doubt the continued existence of that state. Already at the beginning of the war mainly Croats from Dalmatia and Bosnia had formed a Yugoslav Committee which settled in London and maintained contacts with émigré populations in the United States and elsewhere. The committee intended to represent the interests of Habsburg South Slavs to the Entente, whatever the outcome of the battlefield. The Yugoslav Committee learned the terms of the Treaty of London of 1915, in which the Entente powers promised extensive Habsburg territories containing Croat, Serb and Slovene populations to Italy. These mutual problems provided an incentive for cooperation between the Serbian government and the Yugoslav Committee. The result of the mutual weakness of the Serbs and the Habsburg South Slavs was the Treaty of Corfu of 20 July 1917. Serbian Prime Minister Pašić and Ante Trumbić (1864-1938), a representative for the Yugoslav Committee, signed the treaty. It called for a democratic South Slav state with equality of alphabets and religions, under the rule of the Serbian Karadjordjevic dynasty. The Corfu arrangement took no notice of Montenegro.

What was the slogan of the Bulgarian government?

Even so, its slogan was “Macedonia for the Macedonians. ”. The Bulgarian government and military sponsored another group, the so called Supremists, who supported direct annexation of Macedonia by Bulgaria. Through these two organizations the Bulgarians dominated the Orthodox peoples in Macedonia.

How many people died in the Balkan Wars?

By any reckoning this prolonged war was disastrous for the Balkan states in men and material. This fighting had spared no place in the Balkans. Romania and Serbia in particular had experienced heavy combat on their own territories. Soldiers died in large numbers. In the Balkan Wars, Bulgaria suffered as many as 66,000 dead, Greece around 8.000 dead, Montenegro 3,000 dead and Serbia about 37,000 dead. In the fighting from 1914 to 1918 Bulgaria suffered 101,224 dead, Greece 28,000 dead, Montenegro 3,000 dead, Romania 335,706 dead and Serbia 127,535 dead. In the fighting after 1914 alone Serbia lost more than one third of its army, Romania one quarter and Bulgaria one fifth. Altogether, as many as 710,000 Balkan soldiers died in the fighting from 1912 to 1918. The wounded were of course even more numerous. Civilians perished throughout the Balkans from being caught up in the fighting, from privations in food, fuel and other materials caused by the fighting as well as by epidemic disease which raged throughout the region. The war displaced hundreds of thousands throughout the Balkans.

What was the Greek attempt to resolve the issue of Crete and gain some Ottoman European territories?

An attempt by the Greeks to resolve the issue of Crete and gain some Ottoman European territories ended in the total defeat in the Greek Ottoman War of 1897 . In the 1890s the rival Balkan states formed terrorist societies to take more direct action.

What were the Balkan states' relations like?

From the early 1920s until the rise of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the Balkan states enjoyed a large degree of freedom from foreign influence and interference, owing to the disappearance of the Habsburg and Russian empires and the neutralization of the Dardanelles.

When did the Central Powers subdue Serbia?

The Central Powers finally subdued Serbia after their second onslaught, launched in 1915. In that same year the Allies sent their ill-fated expedition to Gallipoli in the Dardanelles, and in the autumn of 1916 they established themselves in Salonika (now Thessaloníki, Greece).

What kingdom was Transylvania in?

Because the population of Transylvania, the Banat, Bessarabia, and Bukovina was predominantly Romanian, the bulk of those areas were included in the Romanian kingdom. Most of the remaining areas were predominantly Serbo-Croatian -speaking and became constituent parts of the new triune Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.

Which two empires were destroyed by World War I?

World War I destroyed those two empires. The future of their Balkan possessions—Croatia-Slavonia, Dalmatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Vojvodina, Slovenia, Bukovina, the Banat of Temesvár, Transylvania, and Bessarabia— had to be decided by delegates at the Paris Peace Conference (1919–20), not in gradual and piecemeal fashion ...

Who was the Austrian Archduke who was assassinated in 1914?

Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, Sophie, riding in an open carriage at Sarajevo shortly before their assassination, June 28, 1914. World History Archive/ARPL/age fotostock. Nevertheless, although they may have had no desire for the conflict, the Balkan states and peoples could not escape its consequences.

Which states emerged from Ottoman rule?

The states that emerged from Ottoman domination—Serbia, Albania, Bulgaria, and, to a lesser extent, Romania —were therefore less developed and poor. Into them were now merged former Russian or Austro-Hungarian territories, some (though not all) of which were more developed.

Where is the Balkan peninsula located?

Balkan peninsula (as defined geographically, by the Danube-Sava-Kupa line) The Balkans and parts of this area are alternatively situated in Southeast, Southern, Eastern Europe and Central Europe.

How did World War 1 affect the Balkans?

The war had enormous repercussions for the Balkan peninsula. People across the area suffered serious economic dislocation, and the mass mobilization resulted in severe casualties, particularly in Serbia where over 1.5 million Serbs died, which was approx. ¼ of the total population and over half of the male population. In less-developed areas World War I was felt in different ways: requisitioning of draft animals, for example, caused severe problems in villages that were already suffering from the enlistment of young men, and many recently created trade connections were ruined.

What kingdom controlled northern Albania?

By the end of the 3rd century BC, an Illyrian kingdom based in Scodra controlled parts of northern Albania, and littoral Montenegro. Under Queen Teuta, Illyrians attacked Roman merchant vessels plying the Adriatic Sea and gave Rome an excuse to invade the Balkans.

What was the Persian influence in the Balkans?

Following the Ionian Revolt the Persian authority in the Balkans was restored by Mardonius in 492, which not only included the re-subjugation of Thrace, but also the full subordinate inclusion of Macedon into the Persian Empire. The Persian invasion led indirectly to Macedonia's rise in power and Persia had some common interests in the Balkans; with Persian aid, the Macedonians stood to gain much at the expense of some Balkan tribes such as the Paeonians and Greeks. All in all, the Macedonians were "willing and useful Persian allies." Macedonian soldiers fought against Athens and Sparta in Xerxes' army.

How did World War 2 start?

World War II in the Balkans started from the Italian attempts to create an Italian empire. They invaded Albania in 1939 and annexed after just a week to the Kingdom of Italy. Then demanded Greece to surrender in October 1940. However, the defiance of the Greek prime minister Metaxas on 28 October 1940, started the Greco-Italian war. After seven months of hard fighting, with some of the first Allied victories and the Italians losing nearly one third of Albania, Germany intervened to save its ally. In 1941, it invaded Yugoslavia with the forces they later used against the Soviet Union.

Which Persians ruled the Balkans?

Parts of the Balkans and more northern areas were ruled by the Achaemenid Persians for some time, including Thrace, Paeonia, Macedon, and most Black Sea coastal regions of Bulgaria, Romania, Ukraine, and Russia.

Where was the first city in Europe?

First human settlement in Europe is Iron Gates Mesolithic (11000 to 6000 BC), located in Danube River, in modern Serbia and Romania. It has been described as "the first city in Europe", due to its permanency, organisation, as well as the sophistication of its architecture and construction techniques.

What were the two wars in the Balkans?

The first, in 1912, had pitted Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece against the Ottomans, ostensibly to liberate Christian peoples from the Muslim Turk rule and, not incidentally, to enlarge territories under their control. In 1913, Bulgaria, displeased with her spoils from the 1912 war, attacked her former allies, Serbia and Greece. The Bulgarians were pushed back into their own territory and then set upon by the Ottomans and Romanians. When the fighting stopped, Bulgaria had lost nearly all her 1912 gains. This would be a major factor in Bulgaria joining the Central Powers in the coming conflict.

Which country annexed Bosnia in 1908?

In 1908, Austria-Hungary had annexed Bosnia-Herzegovina on Serbia's northwest border from the failing Ottoman Empire. Serbs made up a substantial ethnic group and Serbia wanted to annex Bosnia herself. There had already been two wars fought in the Balkans in 1912 and 1913.

What army did the Bulgarians fight?

The Bulgarian Army, along with a German Army and an Austro-Hungarian Army, prepared for a major offensive against the Serbs. In October, the Germans and Austrians attacked Serbia from the north and the Bulgarians attacked from the east.

What happened to Bulgaria in 1913?

In 1913, Bulgaria, displeased with her spoils from the 1912 war, attacked her former allies, Serbia and Greece. The Bulgarians were pushed back into their own territory and then set upon by the Ottomans and Romanians. When the fighting stopped, Bulgaria had lost nearly all her 1912 gains.

How many soldiers died in the war in Serbia?

Serbia lost 275,000 soldiers killed and 130,000 wounded, with 150,000 civilians killed in the fighting. Including deaths from famine and disease, the Serbians lost 16% of their population in the war. Greece lost 26,000 soldiers killed and 21,000 wounded.

How many soldiers did the Ottoman Empire lose?

The Ottoman Empire lost about 770,000 soldiers killed and 400,000 wounded.

What was Germany's main ally in the war with Bulgaria?

1915. Late in 1915, Germany convinced Bulgaria to enter the war on the side of the Central Powers. With Bulgaria as an ally, the Germans were able to use her railways to support the Ottoman Turks who were having a rough time in the Mideast.

What was the Balkan War?

At its core, the First Balkan War centered on the conflict between the nations of the Balkans and the Ottoman Empire.

Why was the Balkan War important?

Historians consider the First Balkan War to be significant, because the Ottoman Empire gave up large sections of territory in the Balkans, which was taken over by the member nations of the Balkan League. The Second Balkan War officially began on June 29th in 1913 following a period in which Bulgaria readied its armies.

WHAT IS MEANT BY 'BALKAN POWDER KEG'?

Austria blamed Serbia for this action, since Ferdinand was murdered by Gavrilo Princip - a Bosnian nationalist and member of the Black Hand . The Black Hand was a secret organization aimed at promoting Serbian (and Slavic) nationalism, and assassinated Ferdinand in protest of Austria’s influence in the Balkans. ​

How did nationalism affect the Balkans?

As stated above, nationalism was an important factor in the history of the Balkans and World War I. In fact, the 19th century was a period of continuous change and competition in Europe. Not only was it the height of European imperialism, but it also saw the rise of nationalism, which swept across the continent. In general, nationalism is the idea that people identify with one another based on different values, beliefs, and cultural traditions. For instance, both Germany and Italy formally unified as countries in 1871. In both cases, smaller kingdoms unified into one larger country and saw the people of each country identify with each other nationalistically. As such, nationalism played a significant role in carving up Europe between different groups of people. This created situations in which certain nations disagreed and did not trust each other to an extremely high degree. As well, some nations felt threatened by the nationalism of other nations, which led to several different crises. For example, the effects of nationalism were especially present in the Balkans and led to the Balkan Crisis .​

What countries are in the Balkans?

The Balkans is a name for the southeastern section of Europe that includes countries such as: Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, Montenegro, etc. In the years before World War I, the Balkans (as well as the rest of Europe) were undergoing an increase in nationalism, which caused tensions to grow.

When did the Balkans end?

It ended in August of 1913 when Bulgaria sought an end to the war, after suffering terrible losses. In all, the three events discussed above, display the tensions that existed in the Balkans in the time before the outbreak of World War I. As a result, the Balkan Crisis, has come to be referred to as the ‘Balkan Powder Keg’ due to ...

Who were the main opponents of Bulgaria?

The main opponents that the Bulgarians faced in the conflict were Serbia and Greece, which were both former allies to Bulgaria in the First Balkan War. Both Serbia and Greece had signed a secret alliance before the outbreak of the Second Balkan War and were the main nations that Bulgaria argued with over territories in the Balkans.

Which country was defeated in the Balkans?

The revolt spread like wild fire through the Balkan peninsula and with the aid of Russia, Turkey was defeated. Through this, the Balkan States: Serbia, Montenegro, and Rumania, gained increases in their land; thus, resulting in a stronger patriotic pride. Turkey, however, still controlled parts of the Balkans and this angered Balkan nationalism ...

What countries controlled the Balkans?

The revolt spread like wild fire through the Balkan peninsula and with the aid of Russia, Turkey was defeated. Through this, the Balkan States: Serbia, Montenegro, and Rumania, gained increases in their land; thus, resulting in a stronger patriotic pride. Turkey, however, still controlled parts of the Balkans and this angered Balkan nationalism because they now felt capable of governing themselves.

Why did the Serbs declare war on Bulgaria?

The Serbs became furious and proclaimed war because they felt threatened by this act . Surprisingly the Bulgarians proved to be a greater match for the Serbs and in the battle of Slivnitza, they were defeated. Britain agreed to the unification of Eastern Rumelia and Bulgaria and the Balkan States again gained more power through their nationalistic ideologies.

How did nationalism in the Balkans contribute to the outbreak of WW1?

Beginning in the late 19th century, the social unrest in the Balkan States became the focal point of many European powers . The Balkan peninsula was that of great importance due to its territorial ...

Why did the Balkans become so alarmed?

This was due to a rapid growth of intense nationalism which made them a threat to larger countries. The major powers’ fears were appeased with the Treaty of London. The Balkan States felt cheated through the treaty which created a friction among the Balkan allies. The Bulgarians, who felt cheated the most, declared war on both Greece and Serbia. In a rage of enormous pride, the Bulgarians had sealed their doom and were defeated by Serbia, Greece, Turkey, and Rumania. The dismantling of Bulgaria led to significant problems in the months to come.

What was the Balkan League?

The Balkan League was formed in 1912 by Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece and Montenegro. Their goal was the expulsion of the Turks from the Balkan peninsula. Due to the growing nationalism among these four countries, they sought power and prestige through the defeat of their old master. Turkey’s difficulties with the Turkish revolution (1908-1909) and the Turko-Italian War (1911 – 1912), gave the Balkans a chance for both retaliation and sovereignty. In October 1912, the Balkan League attacked the Turks and began what was to be known as the Balkan Wars (1912-13).

Which countries did Britain agree to unify?

Britain agreed to the unification of Eastern Rumelia and Bulgaria and the Balkan States again gained more power through their nationalistic ideologies. Religious tensions in Crete added to the possibility of war with a revolt in 1897 against Turkey.

What countries are in the Balkans?

Just so we are clear, the Balkan region refers to the part of southeastern Europe where countries like Greece, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, Yugoslavia, and others are located.

What was the name of the alliance between Germany and Italy?

In 1882, Austria-Hungary, Germany, and Italy formed an alliance called the Triple Alliance. In turn, Great Britain, France, and Russia formed their own alliance in 1907, called the Triple Entente.

What was the Triple Entente?

The implications of these competing alliances basically meant that if any one nation went to war against any other belligerent nation, all the nations would become involved.

What was the peace in Europe during the Napoleonic Wars?

When the Napoleonic Wars ended in the early 1800s, Europeans were weary of war. Throughout a good part of the nineteenth century, Europe enjoyed relative peace. The Congress of Vienna, which convened in 1815, was instrumental in securing a peace that, for the most part, characterized nineteenth century Europe. Sure, there were a few regional conflicts like the Crimean War and the Franco-Prussian War. There were also the Revolutions of 1848. But generally, Europe experienced relative stability throughout the nineteenth century.

What is the term for the events leading up to the Great War?

In history, the term is most commonly associated with the events leading up to the Great War, also known as World War I . Historians often refer to pre-1914 Europe as a 'powder keg.'. Sometimes, the term is used as a specific reference to tension in the Balkan region, but more generally it applies to dynamics throughout the whole of Europe.

Who was the leader of Germany before 1871?

Before 1871, the land that is now Germany existed as a loose confederation of independent kingdoms. Under the leadership of Otto von Bismarck, these independent kingdoms were united following the Franco-Prussian War to form the modern nation-state of Germany.

Who was the heir to the throne of Austria-Hungary?

More than any other single event, the assassination of Austro-Hungarian Archduke Franz Ferdinand in June of 1914 was the 'spark' that ignited the Great War. The heir to the throne of the kingdom of Austria-Hungary, Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie were shot to death by Gavrilo Princip, a Serb and Yugoslavian nationalist. Princip belonged to a terrorist organization called the Black Hand, whose aim was to overthrow the Austro-Hungarian government and establish a unified pan-Slavic state.

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• These events began in the efforts of the Great Powers to enforce an overall settlement on the Balkan Peninsula in the aftermath of the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877-1878. The Russians imposed a peace settlement at San Stefano in March 1878 that augmented all the Balkan states, especially Bulgaria, which gained its maximum territorial expectations inclu...

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