1914   


Encouraged by Russia, the newly allied Balkan countries attacked Turkey in 1912. Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria defeat the Turks. Most of the Ottoman Empire’s European territory is taken by the allies. Only the East-Thracian province around Constantinople (Istanbul) remains in Ottoman hands. Italy takes advantage of the situation and joins in, taking Rhodes and the adjacent Dodecanese islands and the provinces of Tripolitania and Cyrenaica (Libya) from the Ottoman Empire. The victorious allies now quarrelled amongst themselves about the spoils of the war. Serbia claims territory on the Adriatic coast, a move disliked by Italy, that had plans to annex these areas in what is now Albania, itself. In this Italy was supported by its ally Austria-Hungary. Bulgaria, having made the largest contribution to the war and to Turkish defeat, claimed vast territories, reminiscent of the size proposed by the abortive 1878 San Stefano treaty for Bulgaria. This conflicted with Greek and with Serbian claims. The Greeks were mad at Italy, for having taken the Dodecanese islands.

A second Balkan war in 1913 was the result. Greece, Montenegro and, their former Ottoman enemy, intervened on behalf of the Serbs against the Bulgarians. The Roumanians joined in. Austria-Hungary wanted to intervene on behalf of Bulgaria, but this was, once again, prevented by its Tripartite allies, Germany and Italy. Bulgaria was defeated. The Peace of Bucharest defined the new borders. Roumania annexed the southern Dobrudsha provinces of Bulgaria. Macedonia was split between Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria. To prevent Serbian access to the Adriatic, the new Principality of Albania was formed.

In 1914, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian thrones, Archduke Francis-Ferdinand, and his morganatic wife, the Duchess of Hohenberg, visited the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo. They were both murdered by nationalists that had come from Serbia. Austria-Hungary blamed Serbia, and in an ultimatum demanded that Serbia would allow Austro-Hungarian officers on its territory, to find, and persecute the assassin’s accomplices. This ultimatum was unacceptable to the Serbs since it would clearly compromise their sovereignty. The Serbs refused. This time there was no holding back of the Austrians by their allies. Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia. This Third Balkan war would soon become the First World War.

Russia mobilised to defend the Serbs against Austria. Austria's ally, Germany, warned Russia not to mobilise. The alliances that had formed in Europe over the past decades, now started to work like a cascade. Russia mobilised anyway and Germany declared war on Russia. So did Austria-Hungary. Italy was theoretically compelled to join its Threefold Alliance allies, but refrained from doing so. Germany also declared on France, Russia's ally. The attack on France by Germany included an offensive into neutral Belgium. That caused Britain to join the war against Germany and Austria. Bulgaria, that had recently been in conflict with Serbia, joined the Germany and Austria-Hungary and attacked the Serbs.

The bloodiest war ever seen broke out on two fronts. In France and Belgium in the west, and in Russia in the east. it was known as the "Great War" or the "World War". In 1915 Greece, Roumania and Italy joined the Allies. The Ottoman Empire took the German side. Millions died in stagnant trench warfare that lasted four years. In 1917 America joined the Allied cause, after Germany sank the liner "Lusitania" in which many Americans lost their lives.

While the Western allies stood their ground against the Central powers, the Russians fared less well. In 1917 a revolution broke out in the backward and absolutist country and a Liberal Republic was declared. The Republic continued the war however. Communist agitation, encouraged by German intelligence brought about a second revolution in which Lenin and his Bolsheviks came to power. The communist regime made a separate peace with the Central powers at Brest Litovsk. The Germans had erected new “states” in Western Russia. Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine remained under German occupation. The new Communist Russian state was plunged into civil war immediately. The “White” forces, consisting of Liberal Republicans as well as Tsarist loyalists, tried to overthrow the new Communist regime.

When the Western front, and the Alps front, crumbled against the Central Powers and a breakthrough on the western front was achieved, the war was over. Austria-Hungary capitulated. A revolution in Germany followed. A cease-fire commenced on the 11-11-1918.