The Bosnian Crisis 1908

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The Bosnian Crisis 1908
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THE BALKANS

• The Balkans is the name given to a large area in
  South-East Europe.
• As this map shows, it contains a complex mixture
  of cultures with a long history of distrust and
  conflict.

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The Balkans in the early 20th century

• The Balkans were a seething mixture of competing
  ambitions between imperial powers and increasing
  nationalism, as shown by this map.

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Views of the Balkans

• The whole of the Balkans is not worth the bones
  of a single Pomeranian grenadier. (Bismarck)
• Some damn thing in the Balkans will set it (i.e.
  the next war) off (Bismarck again)

• The whole world is festeringWith unhappy
  souls.The French hate the Germans,The Germans
  hate the PolesItalians hate Yugoslavs,South
  Africans hate the Dutch,And I don't like anybody
  very much
• Kingston Trio Merry Minuet

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Clash of empires - Turkey

• Turkey was referred to as the Sick Man of
  Europe.
• Turkey still retained control of some territories
  in the Balkans area, which were left over from
  conquests centuries ago.

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Clash of Empires - Russia

• Russia had always had an interest in developing
  trade through their ice-free Black Sea ports.
• Turkey controlled access between the
  Mediterranean and Black Seas.
• Russia supported the interests of fellow Orthodox
  Slavs
• Russias interest in the Balkans was to have
  allies that would support her in her desire to
  have open access to the Mediterranean Sea

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Clash of Empires Austria-Hungary

• Austria-Hungary had gained control of some areas
  in the northern Balkans which were part of her
  multi-cultural empire.
• Austria-Hungary was concerned about nationalist
  unrest, especially the growing rise of Serbia.
• Austria-Hungary feared that other nationalities
  under its control would agitate to split from the
  empire.

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Pan-Slavism

• This historical force was the idea that all those
  groups of Slavic origin should combine together
  into one large independent state.
• Serbia saw itself as the core of this new
  Pan-Slavic state.
• Austria-Hungary saw the desire for Slav
  nationalism as a direct threat to its empire.
• Russias support for Serbia created tension with
  Austria-Hungary.

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The Young Turks

• In 1908, the Turkish Sultan Abdul-Hamid II was
  forced to accede to the demands of the Young
  Turks, a group of army officers who demanded that
  constitutional rule be restored in Turkey.

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Austria-Hungarys opportunity

• Austria-Hungary wanted to prevent these Young
  Turks from regaining control of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina.
• Aerenthal, the Austrian Foreign Minister (right)
  arranged a secret meeting was with his Russian
  counterpart Alexander Isvolsky.

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The secret deal

• Aerenthal and Isvolsky (right) secretly agreed
  that Austria would support Russian moves to gain
  its warships free access to the Mediterranean
  from the Black Sea.
• In return Austria-Hungary would annex Bosnia and
  Herzegovina.

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The deal falls apart

• Isvolsky needed to return to Russia to brief the
  Tsars government about this deal, and to get
  support from Britain and France for the deal.
• However, before this was achieved, the Austrians
  went ahead with the annexation of Bosnia and
  Herzegovina.
• Austria-Hungarys action caused international
  concern.

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Relations worsen

• Serbia was outraged by Austrias annexation, and
  appealed to Russia for help in fighting the
  annexation.
• Russia was too weak from its defeat by Japan, and
  instead called for an international conference to
  settle the issue.
• Austria-Hungary refused, and was backed by
  Germany, who promised to mobilise in Austrias
  defence if Russia mobilised.
• Russia could not face both states and had to back
  down.

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Consequences of the crisis

• Russia was humiliated and embittered by Austrias
  actions. It increased the pace of its rearmament.
  It would not back down again.
• Serbia remained furious at Austria-Hungarys
  frustration of its Pan-Slav ambitions and began
  openly supporting nationalist terror groups.
• The crisis revealed how desperate Germany was to
  retain the loyalty of her only remaining European
  ally.

Supportive reading Mills et. al. Pg 20-21
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Applying this information to AS 90469

• This standard examines how a force or movement
  influenced peoples lives. You are required to
  cover
• Causes of an event related to a force/ movement
• Consequences of an event related to a
  force/movement
• How the force/movement influenced peoples lives

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A suitable force or movement

• IMPERIALISM, because this crisis is based on
  competing imperial ambitions, especially between
  Austria-Hungary and Russia
• ALLIANCE SYSTEM, because Germany backed its ally
  Austria-Hungary in a dispute with Russia, who did
  not at that time have confident backing from
  France (or Britain)
• NATIONALISM, because Serbia had ambitions to
  create a larger Pan-Slav state in the Balkans
• Of these, IMPERIALISM is the best choice because
  it offers more opportunity to examine the
  influence on peoples lives

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Causes of the crisis

• Long term Turkish weakness in Bosnia, Russian
  aspirations to have access to the Mediterranean
  Sea, Austrian desire to frustrate Serbian
  nationalist ambitions
• Short term Austrian actions in annexing Bosnia
  before Russia could consult other powers, German
  support for Austria, Russian military weakness

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Consequences of the crisis

• Russian humiliation
• Serbian frustration
• German desperation

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Influence of Imperialism on peoples lives

• Isvolsky was humiliated by being tricked by
  Aerenthal.
• The Russian Tsar was forced to disown Isvolskys
  plan for expanding Russian influence in the
  Balkans.
• Russian politicians were angry at Austrias and
  Germanys actions, and were determined not to
  back down again.
• Serbian politicians were angry at Austrias
  frustration of their nationalist ambitions,
  annoyed that Russia would not back them and
  looked for other ways to reclaim what they
  thought was important to their national
  interests.
• British and French politicians were alarmed at
  international tensions caused by Austrias and
  Russias conflicting imperial ambitions.