Tension in the Balkans Where is the Balkans
Tension in the Balkans
Where is the Balkans?
Ethnic groups in Europe, 1896
The Eastern Question • All the eastern Mediterranean and south-east Europe in the 18 th century had belonged to the Turkish Ottoman Empire. • Little by little, people from the Balkan countries shook off Turkish rule.
The Eastern Question • Sometimes these countries became independent, BUT – sometimes they became part of the Austrian Empire – or sometimes they became part of the Russian Empire. • Turkey was the "sick old man of Europe", dying and having its possessions divided up by its neighbouring countries.
Big Power Ambitions in the Balkans • By 1870, Greece and Rumania had managed to gain independence from the Turks. • To restore some order in the Balkans, in 1878, Bismarck, the German Chancellor, held a meeting of all the major powers of Europe. • It was decided that Serbia, like Rumania and Greece, would be independent. • Bulgaria would become a state, but still ruled by the Ottoman Empire. • Bosnia would become a state, but ruled by Austria. • Russia acquired some of Rumania. • All the Big Powers acquired something, for instance Britain gained Cyprus.
The Balkans 1871 The Balkans 1878
• The Balkan people did not achieve any of their aims and remained bitter and aggressive, both towards the Turks and the Big Powers of Europe.
• By the beginning of the 20 th century, the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire was beginning to crumble. • Sensing the opportunity for independence, a wave of nationalism swept through the Balkans.
• War broke out in 1912, when troops from Montenego moved into the Ottoman Empire. • Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece joined the war and these Balkan allies drove the Turks out of Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania. • These countries declared independence. • Later the Serbs turned against the Bulgarians and occupied all of Kosovo as well as Macedonia.
• In 1914 Austria-Hungary, (which governed Bosnia. Herzegovina), sent the emperor's heir FRANZ FERDINAND to Bosnia to try to stop unrest. • He was trying to get the southern Slavs to play a greater role in the Austria Empire to stop the Serbians taking over any more land. • He was shot in Sarajevo by a Serb nationalist, an event which triggered WORLD WAR ONE
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