How Did the Decline of the Ottoman Empire Contribute to the Outbreak of the First World War?

How did the decline of the Ottoman Empire contribute to the outbreak of the First World War?

WRITTEN BY CHEUNG SHING KIT

FORMER STUDENT OF LKW IN BHSC FROM 1988 TO 1990

The decline of the Ottoman Empire constituted a territorial vacuum for the great powers to fill in, especially Austria and Russia. This disagreement over the Balkans accelerated the formation of Alliance System that brought a largescale war possible in this complicated political scene which was the strivings of the Balkans' peoples for independence. The annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina not only poisoned the AustroSerbian relation but also created jealousy, fear and suspicion among the other powers. A general war was thus inevitable.

The Balkans acted as a potential source of trouble because it was an attraction for the great powers. As the champion of the Slav race, Russia determined the responsibility to help these Slave states. Moreover, to have a Slavic union under her influence would mean that she got the control of Dardanelles and Bosphorns, an outlet to warm water port. Needless to say, the breakup of the Ottoman Empire invited the attention of Russia and paved the way for the First World War.

Conflicts seemed uncertain had Austria not been involved in the Eastern Question. Having lost her influence in Italy and Germany after 1866, Austria was interested in extending her influence in the Balkans with the declines of the Turks for both strategic and economic reasons. From the economic perspective, she relied on River Danube as a trade route. It meant she was interested in events in the Balkans From the political point of view, Austria deemed Serbia as another Piedmont and another Prussia. She was eager to check the rise of Serbia. Should she fail, the AustroHungarian Empire would doom to eventual disruption in favor of a multitude of small states. Undoubtedly, Austria determined to control the Slavic states in place of the Turks after the decline of Ottoman Empire. It was this conflict of Austria and Russia bringing the general war in 1914.

Apart from Austria and Russia, the decline of the Ottoman Empire also drew the attention of Germany. The PanSlav movement was confronted by the expansion policy of William II. This RussoGerman conflicts made Germany support Austria un-conditionally. There was no doubt that the territorial vacuum left by the Turks created quarrel over the powers which had no appropriate measure could tackle but only war.

No one would deny that the decline of the Ottoman Empire made the split of Dreikaiserbund inevitable and even contributed to the formation of Alliance System. However, though Germany tried to be "the honest broker", she could still fail to bring Austria and Russia together. The Dreikaiserbund seemed impossible to exist in the long run. The Eastern Question made Russia find allies other than Germany and Austria; thus, the Triple Entente was later formed and Europe was divided into two rival camps. In such a way, the decline of the Ottoman Empire proved the way for the Alliance System and their struggle for the Balkans.

In addition, the breakdown of the Ottoman Empire encouraged the Balkans' peoples to fight against the Turks for independence or at least to unite with fellow countrymen. The latter was advocated by Serbia. The Greater Serbia Movement assumed her to take the lead of Balkans' national movement. Undoubtedly, this movement was confronted by Austria who was afraid of being another "Sick Man of Europe." Disagreement and disputes were inevitable. As such, the First World War could be deemed as a struggle between Austria and Serbia which was a result of the decline of Ottoman Empire.

The AustroSerbian conflicts could be traced back to 1878 when Austria Hungary had been allowed to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina. The blow to Serbia had been softened by the word 'occupation' which might be temporary. However, the Serbs were to change their viewpoint in the Bosnian Crisis in 1908 when Austria announced. The annexation of the two territories resulted in antiAustrian feelings reaching a climax in Serbia. Moreover, the annexation created suspicious jealousy and fear among the other powers, especially Russia, thus contributing to the formation of Triple Alliance and Triple Entente. The competition for getting Bosnia and Herzegovina, a territorial vacuum left by the Turks constituted a chief danger to European peace which exploded in the Sarajevo Crisis in 1914.

Seeing the essence of the Ottoman Empire, not only Serbia was against the Turks for independence but also the other Balkans nations including Romania, Montenegro and Bulgaria; however, the Balkans Wars (1912,1913) were more than a war between the Balkans peoples and their Austria, in particular, was anxious about the strength of Serbia as she succeeded in partitioning the Turkish territories. Therefore, owing to the presume of Austria, Serbia was deprived of Albania Resentment grew quickly in Serbia which could only be answered by the use of force. Meanwhile, Russia was suspicious of every more of the two losers in the wars. Bulgaria and Turkey turned to proAustrian and German as they wanted to have a treaty revision. Thus, the strivings of the Balkans peoples, as a consequence of the decline of Ottoman Empire, widened the alienation between the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente and made a general war incredible.

In a word, the main contribution of the decline of the Ottoman Empire to the First World War was that it left a territory opened for competition among the powers. Because of this struggle, conflict was certain and paved the way for the general war. The decline of the Turks also invited the strivings of the Balkans peoples which complicated the political scene and seeing exploited by the great powers to achieve expansion. It could no longer be denied that war became inevitable.

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COMMENT: QUITE SYSTEMATIC AND ABLE TO GRASP THE THEME.

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