Why did a single act of terrorism led to the Great War?

Résumé du document

The growing influence of Germany and the misgovernment of Turkey (leading to the Young Turks revolution in 1908, which ended the decline of the Turk Empire, making the Europeans fear a claim of Turkey on the Balkans) led Macedonia and by extent the Balkans to be plunged in conspiracy and violence. Combined to Russia reawakened interest in the Balkans, these changes were fatal to the statu quo of the Balkan. Nonetheless, Russia and Austria were still working together (policy of non-interventionism in Macedonia). Their cooperation was endangered when Aerenthal (foreign minister of Austria) decided that the statu quo of Balkans was not in the best interest of Austria.

Annexing Bosnia would seemingly stop the Slav agitation in the empire, and lower Serbia's prestige to which the Slavs of the Empire were looking for support by ending her hopes to acquire those lands. Isvolsky, the Russian foreign minister approached Aerenthal in July 1908 with a proposition to modify the statu quo: Austria was to annex Bosnia in return for promising to support the claims of Russia over the Straits. Austria annexed Bosnia on the 5th October 1908. It both shocked Serbia (the original aim) and Russia, which disowned Isvolsky's bargain fearing to lose its reputation amongst the Slavs. This lost prestige made Russia the principal opponent of Austria. Austria was backed up without reserve by Germany, using this crisis in which it had no direct interest to win a diplomatic victory. The damage of this crisis was the reopening of the conflict between Austria and Russia in the Balkans.

Extraits

[...] It was the climax of a South Slav terrorist campaign. Vienna, supported by Berlin threw an ultimatum at Serbia on the 23rd July, which was very humiliating, but accepted by Serbia; Nevertheless Austria declared war on the 28th July. Russia start mobilizing troops, quite slowly though. This led German to start mobilizing its armed forces as well on the 31st July, with the objective to attack France (decided by the soldiers; not by William II). Germany declared war to Russia on the 1st August and to France on the 3rd. [...]

[...] The damage of this crisis was the reopening of the conflict between Austria and Russia in the Balkans. The outbreak of war The Agadir Crisis July 1911). Background: increased tension over naval programs between Germany and England which started in 1909. A Berber rebellion took place in 1911, and France sent troops to occupy Fez, the capital. On the 1st July 1911, Germany sent its gunboat Panther with the excuse to protect its nationals in Agadir. Caillaux government managed to negotiate with the Germans (Caillaux wanted good Franco-German relations) by giving some land in Congo to the Germans, in exchange of a free hand for France in Morocco. [...]

[...] Why did a single act of terrorism led to the Great War? The re-emergence of Balkan issues The growing influence of Germany and the misgovernment of Turkey (leading to the Young Turks revolution in 1908, which ended the decline of the Turk Empire, making the Europeans fear a claim of Turkey on the Balkans) led Macedonia and by extent the Balkans to be plunged in conspiracy and violence. Combined to Russia reawakened interest in the Balkans, these changes were fatal to the statu quo of the Balkan. [...]

[...] Turkey closed the Straits in reaction, leading to a new Balkan crisis. Two Balkans wars: the first opposed the Balkan league to Turkey; the second was internal to the Balkan league: Bulgaria attacked Serbia and Greece and was defeated. It symbolized the maturity of the Balkan States. It also exacerbated the Austro-Serbian conflict, as Austria was unhappy with the growth of Serbia 1.5 M inhabitants after the war). Germany helped Turkey to reorganize its troops, and a German general was appointed in Constantinople. [...]

[...] Roberts believes that war emerged because of the incapacity of Austro-Hungaria to solve its domestic problems. Austria (because of the Magyars' power in the monarchy) wanted to frighten the Slavs in Romania and Serbia, and show them that they could not rely on Russian support. Austria therefore needed to be ready to war against Russia if she wasn't to give in. They were willing to do so because Germany supported them. Though they had interest in the fate of Serbia, France and Britain would not have necessarily gone to war. [...]