sarajevo

World war i, an event that was to complete the unification of the Balkan states, had its immediate origins in an event closely linked to the national and international controversies that have been previously examined. At the beginning of 1914 there was no indication that the year would end in unparalleled disaster. In fact, the Balkan scene was relatively calm; after two years of conflict no power – victor or vanquished – was in a position to face a renewed period of warfare. Nor was the general diplomatic field unusually troubled. Two alliance systems, the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente, were in existence, but they were basically defensive alignments, designed to preserve the status quo on the Continent. They had not prevented their members in the past from cooperating closely with states in the opposite camp on specific issues. Within the Triple Alliance, the allegiance of Italy was coming ever more into doubt. The Entente powers were weakened by the growing conflict of Britain and Russia over the control of Persia, despite their previous agreement on spheres of influence. Germany was the strongest single military power on the Continent, but Britain and France clearly predominated in the world imperial field. The British navy still ruled the seas. Although many minor disagreements plagued the relations of the great powers, none were worth the launching of a major war.