The feuds and wars between the countries fighting over the land of the declining Ottoman Empire led to World War I. The Balkans were referred to the “powder keg of Europe” because the wars fought over the land were small events that led up to something much bigger, World War I. Listed below are results of the two wars.
All in all, the wars affect many people's sense of ethnic identity. One year following the Balkan Wars, a Yugoslav nationalist in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo murdered Austro-Hungarian Empire's prince, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, on June 28, 1914. This led to the climax of the tensions in the Balkans. Decades later, the Balkans were part of more warfare when the Soviet Union collapsed and the communist state of Yugoslavia fell.
Two outcomes of Serbia's territorial gains attributed to the start of World War I. First, the increase in Serbian nationalism. The Serb nationalist groups aimed to free Serbia from foreign control and influence. The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina set the nationalist movements off. The groups were determined to drive out the Austro-Hungarians. They were the ones in charge of the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. The other outcome that attributed was that the expansion threatened the Austro-Hungarian stability. The Austro-Hungarians were sure that Germany's military could destroy the Serbs. Otto von Bismarck predicted a future European war would start with the Balkans.
- Bulgaria looked to Austria for support.
- Austria forced Serbia to give up its Albanian conquests, so Serbia looked to Vienna.
- The Kosovo region and northern and central Macedonia was obtained by Serbia.
- The Balkan Wars resulted in Greece obtaining southern Macedonia and the island of Crete.
- A German prince made Albania an independent state.
- In less than one year, nearly 200,000 soldiers died. Town raids led to numerous civilians being massacred. Many civilians struggled with disease and starvation due to laying low.
- The new Carnegie Endowment for International Peace was issued in 1913 in Washington D.C., which claimed that “there is no clause in international law applicable to land war and to the treatment of the wounded, which was not violated… by all the belligerents.” It also warns that “Violence carries its own punishment with it and something very different from armed force will be needed to establish order and peace in the Balkans.”
All in all, the wars affect many people's sense of ethnic identity. One year following the Balkan Wars, a Yugoslav nationalist in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo murdered Austro-Hungarian Empire's prince, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, on June 28, 1914. This led to the climax of the tensions in the Balkans. Decades later, the Balkans were part of more warfare when the Soviet Union collapsed and the communist state of Yugoslavia fell.
Two outcomes of Serbia's territorial gains attributed to the start of World War I. First, the increase in Serbian nationalism. The Serb nationalist groups aimed to free Serbia from foreign control and influence. The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina set the nationalist movements off. The groups were determined to drive out the Austro-Hungarians. They were the ones in charge of the death of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo. The other outcome that attributed was that the expansion threatened the Austro-Hungarian stability. The Austro-Hungarians were sure that Germany's military could destroy the Serbs. Otto von Bismarck predicted a future European war would start with the Balkans.