WORLD HISTORY: THE WORLD IN 1914 (2)
EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE OUTBREAK OF FIRST WORLD WAR
- Moroccan Crisis (1905-6): This was an attempt by Germany to expand its empire by controlling Morocco by garnering international support. However, Britain and France, supported by other nations, opposed this German move leading to diplomatic defeat of Germany.
- British-Russia agreement (1907): The long-standing rivalry between Britain and Russia ended this agreement. It was not a military agreement but was seen by Germany as the plan to ‘encircle’ it.
- Bosnia Crisis (1908): Bosnia was a province of Turkey but was administered by Austria as a result of an 1878 agreement. The new Turkey govt in 1908 resented the Austrian presence in Bosnia. As a result, Austria annexed Bosnia. This led to blow to Serbia which wanted to annex Bosnia as well as it contained 3 million Serbs. Serbia asked for help but in vain and Austria kept Bosnia. This made Serbia bitterly hostile to Austria which sparked off the outbreak of war.
- Balkan wars (1912, 13):
- First Balkan war (1912): Serbia, Greece, Montenegro and Bulgaria (the Balkan League ) , which were earlier part of Turkish ( Ottoman) Empire captured the remaining Turkish territory in Europe. A settlement was reached which divided the Turkish lands among the Balkan states. However, Serbia was not happy as it wanted Albania. But Austria, with the the support of other countries, opposed this Serbian demand.
- Second Balkan war (1913): Bulgaria was unhappy with its gains and wanted Macedonia which had been given to Serbia. Bulgaria, therefore, attacked Serbia but were defeated and even lost their gains from the first war.
- Assassination of Austrian Archduke (1914) : The assassination of Austrian Archduke in Bosnia was the immediate cause of Austria’s declaration of war on Serbia, which soon developed into the First World War.
