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Soviet Union [USSR] The Return to an Active Balkan Policy, 1906-13
The logic of Russia's earlier Far Eastern policy had required
holding Balkan issues in abeyance--a strategy also followed by
Austria-Hungary between 1897 and 1906. Japan's victory in 1905
forced Russia to make deals with the British and the Japanese. In
1907 Russia's new, more liberal foreign minister, Aleksandr P.
Izvol'skii, concluded agreements with both nations. To maintain its
sphere of influence in northern Manchuria and northern Iran, Russia
agreed to Japanese ascendancy in southern Manchuria and Korea and
to British ascendancy in southern Iran, Afghanistan, and Tibet. The
logic of this policy demanded that Russia and Japan unite to
prevent the United States from organizing a consortium to develop
Chinese railroads and, after China's republican revolution of 1911,
to recognize each other's spheres of influence in Outer Mongolia.
In an extension of this logic, Russia traded recognition of German
economic interests in the Ottoman Empire and Iran for German
recognition of various Russian security interests in the region.
Similarly, Russia's strategic and financial position required that
it remain faithful to its alliance with France and that it bolster
the Anglo-French and Anglo-Russian rapprochements with the informal
Triple Entente between Britain, France, and Russia, but without
antagonizing Germany or provoking a war.
Nevertheless, following the Russo-Japanese War, Russia and
Austria-Hungary resumed their Balkan rivalry, focusing on the South
Slavic Kingdom of Serbia and the provinces of Bosnia and
Hercegovina. The two provinces had been occupied by Austria-Hungary
since 1878. Only a handful of Russian and Austrian statesmen knew
that in 1881 Russia secretly had agreed in principle to Austria's
future annexation of them. But in 1908, Izvol'skii foolishly
consented to their formal annexation in return for Austria's
support for a revision of the international agreement that had
insured the neutrality of the Bosporus and Dardanelles. This
arrangement would have given Russia special navigational rights of
passage. When Britain blocked the revision, Austria nonetheless
proceeded with the annexation and, backed by German threats of war,
forced Russia to disavow support for Serbia--a pointed
demonstration of Russian weakness.
After Austria's annexation of Bosnia and Hercegovina, Russian
diplomacy increased tension and conflict in the Balkans. In 1912
Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro defeated the Ottoman
Empire but continued to quarrel among themselves. Then in 1913, the
Bulgarians were defeated by the Serbians, Greeks, and Romanians.
Austria became Bulgaria's patron, while Germany remained the
Ottoman Empire's protector. Russia tied itself more closely to
Serbia. When a Serbian terrorist assassinated the heir to the
Austrian throne in late June 1914, Austria delivered an ultimatum
to Serbia. Russia, fearing another humiliation in the Balkans,
supported Serbia. The system of alliances began to operate
automatically, with Germany supporting Austria and with France
backing Russia. When Germany invaded France through Belgium, the
conflict escalated into a world war.
Data as of May 1989
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