Final answer:
The Balkans were known as the “powder keg of Europe” before World War I due to nationalist tensions, the decline of the Ottoman Empire, and the strategic interests of other empires like Austria-Hungary. Pre-war tensions were heightened by the Balkan Wars and complex European alliances until the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo triggered World War I.
Step-by-step explanation:
Before World War I, the Balkans were dubbed the “powder keg of Europe” due to a mix of nationalist tensions and the decline of the Ottoman Empire. The Balkan region was ethnically and religiously diverse, with many groups seeking national sovereignty. Coupled with the ambitions of rising powers like Austria-Hungary, which annexed Bosnia in 1908, thwarting Serbian expansion, the area was rife with conflict potential. This was exacerbated by the two Balkan Wars in 1912-1913, where newly independent nations like Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria carved out territories held by the weakening Ottomans, leading to further tensions.
The broad European diplomatic situation was equally tenuous with major powers like Germany and France harboring historic grievances, engaging in military buildups, and forming complex alliances. German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck famously predicted that a major European conflict could originate from a crisis in the Balkans. This foreboding came true with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, which acted as the spark that ignited the tensions in the region, leading to the outbreak of World War I.