"Nationalism is an infantile disease. It is the measles of mankind"- Albert Einstein.
             Over the course of humanity's march from the east into the west, the Balkan Peninsula has been a crossroads of political, cultural, and artistic developments. The Balkans, much like the other regions of Europe during the turn of the twentieth century, were experiencing strong nationalistic ideologies. Nationalism, in this scenario, can be defined as the desire for people to be ruled by themselves. For the Balkans, this meant the expulsion of all foreign presence. Tensions caused mainly by nationalism in the Balkans between 1870 and 1914 contributed to the beginning of the first World War because of the chain reactions that occurred after the assassination of Archduke Franze Ferdinand. A rise in military power in Europe began after 1870. Germany had taken the territory of Alsace-Lorraine from the French in the Franco-Prussian war. Due to their quick and embarrassing loss in the war, and concerns about another German attack, France began to build up their military and place strong fortresses on the German border. France's military building would foreshadow the arms race Europe would see.
             In 1890, Bismarck was dismissed as Chancellor of Germany by a naive Kaiser Wilhelm II. Wilhelm wanted to expand the German navy and began so by building a fleet of battleships. Britain attempted to maintain twice the navy of its enemies; hence they began to build as well. In 1906 Britain developed the HMS Dreadnaught, a new battleship, which was capable of the speed of 21 knots. The navy was not the only part growing. Weaponry advanced, submarines and airplanes appeared, and Europe's military count was at its peak. The arms race left a frustrated continent on the edge and trigger happy.
             Bismarck's absence changed the alliance of Europe. Kaiser Wilhelm II refused to renew the Reinsurance Treaty with Russia. Russia did not want to be isolated and choose to surro...