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The Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909. And its political outcomes

In October 1908, Austria-Hungary annexed neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is why Europe was on the brink of a great war. Within a few months the whole Old World waited, with bated breath, interchanges. All followed the attempts of diplomats and politicians to avoid a catastrophe. These events became known as the Bosnian crisis. As a result, the great powers managed to agree, and the conflict was smoothed out. However, time has shown that it is the Balkans that are the explosive point of Europe. Today, the Bosnian crisis is seen as one of the preludes for the First World War.

Prerequisites

After the completion of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, In Berlin, an international congress was held, which officially consolidated the new alignment of forces in the Balkans. According to the 25th article of the treaty signed in the German capital, Bosnia, which formerly belonged to the Ottoman Empire, was occupied by Austria-Hungary. However, this decision was challenged by the delegation from Serbia. This country itself had just freed itself from Turkish domination, and her government was afraid that concessions to the Habsburg empire would lead to the Austrians eventually taking Belgrade.

These fears had its own soil. Habsburgs have long built the image of collectors of Slavic lands (the Slavs accounted for 60% of the population of Austria-Hungary). This was due to the fact that the emperors in Vienna could not unite Germany under their scepter (Prussia did this), eventually turned their eyes to the east. Austria already controlled Bohemia, Slovenia, Croatia, Slovakia, Bukovina, Galicia, Krakow and did not want to dwell on this.

Lull

After 1878, Bosnia remained under the occupation of Austria, although its legal status was never definitively determined. This issue was postponed for some time. Serbia's main partner in international politics was Russia (also a Slavic and Orthodox country). In St. Petersburg, they systematically defended the interests of Belgrade. The Empire could press on the Habsburgs, but did not do it. This was due to the signing of a trilateral agreement between Russia, Germany and Austria. Countries gave each other guarantees of non-aggression in the event of war.

This system of relations suited Alexander II and Alexander III, so the Bosnian crisis was briefly forgotten. "Union of Three Emperors" finally disintegrated in 1887 due to the contradictions between Austria and Russia, connected with Bulgaria and Serbia. After this break in Vienna, they ceased to be bound by any obligations to the Romanovs. Gradually, in Austria, the militaristic and aggressive tendencies towards Bosnia grew more and more.

Interests of Serbia and Turkey

The Balkans have always been a huge cauldron with a motley ethnic population. The peoples were mixed with each other, and it was often difficult to determine where their land was by right of the majority. So it was with Bosnia. In the second half of the XIX century, 50% of its population were Serbs. They were Orthodox, and Bosniaks were Muslims. But even their internal contradictions paled before the Austrian threat.

Another side of the conflict was the Ottoman Empire. The Turkish state has been in a political crisis for many decades . Before this empire belonged all the Balkans and even Hungary, and its troops twice besieged Vienna. But at the beginning of the twentieth century, there was no trace of the former brilliance and grandeur. The Ottoman Empire owned a small piece of land in Thrace and in Europe was surrounded by hostile Slavic states.

Shortly before the Bosnian crisis occurred, in the summer of 1908, the Young Turk revolution broke out in Turkey. The power of the sultans was limited, and the new government again loudly announced its claims to the former Balkan provinces.

The actions of Austrian diplomacy

The Austrians, in order to finally annex Bosnia, needed to oppose not only the Turks, but also a lot of European powers: Russia, France, Britain, Italy and Serbia. The Habsburg government, as usual, decided first to agree with the powers of the Old World. Negotiations with the diplomats of these countries were led by Alois von Erenthal, who held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Italians made the first compromise. They managed to be persuaded to support Austria-Hungary in exchange for the fact that Vienna will not interfere in their war with Turkey for the possession of Libya. The Sultan agreed to give up Bosnia after he was promised compensation of 2.5 million pounds. Traditionally Austria was supported by Germany. Wilhelm II personally pressed on the Sultan, to whom he had great influence.

Negotiations between Russia and Austria-Hungary

The Bosnian crisis of 1908 could have ended in disaster if Russia had opposed annexation. Therefore, the negotiations between Erental and Alexander Izvolsky (also the Minister for Foreign Affairs) were particularly long and stubborn. In September, the parties reached a preliminary agreement. Russia agreed to the annexation of Bosnia, while Austria promised to recognize the right of military Russian ships to pass unimpeded through the Black Sea straits controlled by Turkey.

In fact, this meant abandoning the previous Berlin Accords of 1878. The situation was complicated by the fact that Izvolsky negotiated without sanction from above, and Erental conducted a double game. Diplomats agreed that the annexation will take place a little later, when a convenient agreed time comes. However, a few days after Izvolsky's departure, the Bosnian crisis began. The international conflict was provoked by Austria, which on October 5 announced the annexation of the disputed province. After that, Izvolsky refused to comply with the agreement.

The reaction to annexation

Dissatisfaction with the Vienna decision was expressed by the authorities of Russia, Britain and France. These countries have already created the Entente - an alliance directed against the growing Germany and its faithful ally of Austria. The notes of protest were poured into Vienna.

However, Britain and France did not take other decisive actions. To the Bosnian issue in London and Paris were treated much more indifferently than to the problem of belonging to the Black Sea straits.

Mobilization in Serbia and Montenegro

If in the West the annexation was "swallowed", in Serbia news from Vienna led to popular unrest. October 6 (the day after the annexation), the authorities announced a mobilization.

The same was done in neighboring Montenegro. In both Slavic countries it was believed that it was necessary to go to the rescue of the Serbs living in Bosnia who faced the threat of Austrian domination.

Culmination

On October 8, the German government informed Vienna that if the armed conflict broke out, the empire could count on the support of its northern neighbor. This gesture was important for the militarists in the monarchy of the Habsburgs. The leader of the "militant" party was the chief of the General Staff, Conrad von Hettsendorff. Learning about the support of Germany, he invited Emperor Franz Joseph to talk with the Serbs from a position of strength. Thus the Bosnian crisis of 1908 became a serious threat to peace. Both great powers and small states began to prepare for war.

The troops of the Austrians began to pull together to the border. The only reason for the lack of an order for an attack was the authorities' understanding that Russia would stand up for Serbia, which would lead to much greater problems than one "small victory."

The Bosnian crisis of 1908-1909. Is briefly described in this article. Undoubtedly, he touched too many interests in the political arena.

Results and implications

In Russia, the government stated that the country is not ready for a war on two fronts against Germany and Austria, if it still fully supports the Serbs. The prime minister was Petr Stolypin. He did not want war, for fear that it would lead to another revolution (in the future it happened). In addition, just a few years ago, the country was defeated by the Japanese, which spoke of the deplorable state of the army.

For several months the negotiations remained in limbo. Decisive was the course of Germany. The ambassador of this country in Russia, Friedrich von Pourtales, put before St. Petersburg an ultimatum: either Russia recognizes annexation, or the war against Serbia begins. There remained the only way to end the Bosnian crisis of 1908 - 1909, the results of which for a long time echoed in the Balkans.

Russia pressed on Serbia, and the latter recognized the annexation. Without bloodshed, the Bosnian crisis of 1908 ended. His political results affected later. Although outwardly everything ended safely, the contradictions between the Serbs and the Austrians only intensified. The Slavs did not want to live under the rule of the Habsburgs. As a result, in 1914 in Sarajevo, the Serbian terrorist Gavrilo Princip shot a pistol from the heir of the Austrian monarchy Franz Ferdinand. This event was the occasion for the outbreak of the First World War.

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