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Why were the Balkans a problem area before 1914? - Coggle Diagram
Why were the Balkans a problem area
before 1914?
In the early twentieth
century, the Balkans
was a very unstable
area of Europe.
The area had
traditionally been
controlled by the
Ottoman (Turkish)
Empire.
However by the start of the twentieth century, the
Ottoman Empire had weakened to such an extent that
dissatisfied ethnic groups in the Balkans, such as the
Serbs, were seeking independence.
Since the 17th century, much of
south-east Europe (the Balkans)
had been part of the Ottoman
Empire however by the 19th
century, Ottoman military power
was in decline.
In 1832, Greece won its
independence and this marked a
gradual weakening of power as
other countries within the
empire, such as Serbia and
Bulgaria, also achieved
independence.
Austria-Hungary was a
large scattered empire that
controlled over 11
different nationalities.
The main aim of the
Habsburg emperor, Franz
Joseph, was to stop the
growth of nationalism.
This was a belief that
different nationalities
should rule themselves and
it threatened to break up
the empire.
Since Serbia had gained its
independence from the Ottomans
in 1878, it had always been a
problem for Austria-Hungary.
3 more items...
Reasons why the Balkans were a
problem area:
The Ottomans were trying to keep their empire in Europe.
The Slav people were trying to set up independent
countries.
Austria-Hungary was trying to stop these Slav countries
being set up.
Russia was trying to encourage the Slavs to ensure it had a
secure access to the Mediterranean.
Britain and France wanted to keep Russia out of the
Mediterranean to protect their own trade.