1. Crisis in the Balkans
Review

2. The Balkans (# 1 & 2)
1. The Balkans were
known as Europe’s
“powder keg”
because there were
very high nationalist
tensions between
the countries in the
region.
2. The countries in the
Balkans are :
Romania, Serbia, Bul
garia, Albania &
Greece

3. Serbia’s National Goals (#3 – 5)
3. The people that lived
in Serbia were Slavic.
Serbia’s goal was to
unite all the Slavic
people into one
country.
4. Austria – Hungary was
not happy because
they were worried the
Slavic people in their
empire would want to
leave and join Serbia.
5. Russia supported
Serbia since a lot of
Russia’s population
was Slavic.

4. Bosnia & Herzegovinia (#6 &
7)
6. In 1908 AustriaHungary took control
over Bosnia &
Herzegovinia a Slavic
region in the
Balkans.
7. Serbia was really
angry because they
felt like Austria was
trying to stop them
from building a
Slavic Empire. This
almost led to war.

5. Tensions Rise (#8)
“We’re
ready! Are
you?”
“Prepare
for war!”
• By 1914 tensions in
the Balkans had
increased.
• Serbia had gained
more territory and
power in the region.
• Austria-Hungary was
worried Serbia would
try to take over
Bosnia &
Herzegovina.

6. Franz Ferdinand (#9 & 10)
9. Franz Ferdinand
was the Austrian
Archduke, meaning
he would be the
next leader of the
Austrian –
Hungarian empire.
10. On June 28, 1914
while visiting
Bosnia he was
assassinated!

7. The Black Hand (# 11)
• The Black Hand was
a Slavic nationalist
group that was
responsible for the
assassination.
• The person who
assassinated Franz
Ferdinand was from
Serbia, so Austria
blamed Serbia for his
death.

9. The Ultimatum (#12 & 13)
12. Kaiser Wilhelm told Austria to give Serbia an ultimatum
and if they didn’t meet the terms there would be war.
He said if Austria went to war Germany would have
their backs.
13. Three main points of the ultimatum were:
• Serbia would have to allow Austrians into their country
to investigate the assassination.
• Serbia would have to stop any anti-Austria activities
occurring in their country.
• Serbia would have to fire any army officers or
government official who spoke negatively about
Austria.

10. The Ultimatum (#14)
Serbia tried to
negotiate some of
the terms of the
ultimatum with
Austria. Since
Austria knew
Germany was
backing them they
refused to negotiate
and war was
declared!

11. Europe 1914