The most serious source of nationalist tension in Europe after 1871 was the area called the Balkans.
(i) The Balkans was a region of geographical and ethnic variations comprising modern day Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Macedonia, Crotia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro whose habitants were called Slavs. A large part was under control of Ottoman Empire.
(ii) The spread of the ideas of romantic nationalism in the Balkans together with the disintegration of the Ottoman Empire made this region very Explosive.
(iii) The Balkan peoples based their claims for independence or political rights on nationality and used history to prove that they had once been independent but had subsequently been subjugated by foreign powers.
(iv) The Balkan states were fiercely jealous of each-other and each hoped to gain more territory at the expense of the others.
(v) Matters were further complicated because the Balkans also became the scene of big power rivalry. Each power - Russia, Germany, England, Austro-Hungary, etc., were keen on controlling the hold of other powers over the Balkans and each among them was keen to extend its own control over the area.
(vi) Big powers like Russia, Germany, Austria, Hungary and England were interested in countering hold of other powers over the Balkans.
