It was a war in which a coalition of German states led by Prussia defeated France. The rise of Prussia as the leading German power and the increasing unification of the German states were viewed with apprehension by Napoleon III. The war preparations were pushed by both sides, with notable ineffectiveness in France and with astonishing thoroughness in Prussia. Prussian militarism had triumphed and laid the foundation for German imperialist enterprises. The The Papal States, which were no longer protected by Napoleon III, were annexed by Italy, which thus completed their unification. "Central Powers", consisting of Germany, Austria-Hungary and Italy. Due to the Central Powers, Great Britain, France and Russia formed "Allied Powers." Tension between the great powers heralded war in the early 20th century. They built large warships, cannons, machine guns, airships, and other items of warfare. Located in the southeast of the European continent, it was a place of tensions, wars and conflicts because it was the door to the East. The Ottoman Empire had been dominated by the Balkans, but in the early 20th century, it was in decline.