The Balkan Wars
Added 2025-07-02 06:02:26 +0000 UTCPatrons,
Here we finally are. As I said apologies it took so long.
I do still think there are 2 elements in the video I dislike.
Firstly, the more I've watched it the more I think it's too hard on poor old Sazonov and Russia, whilst being somewhat unfairly lenient on Austria for firing ultimatium's off from the hip. Some of the criticism is meant to be a bit tongue in cheek but I think just ends up coming across as weirdly vindictive in a couple of places instead.
I also think the conclusion is a bit weak.
If I change these drastically I'll try and re-upload the revised version for you here, but I'll see what you guys think first.
Apart from that I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks for your support as ever.
Comments
At around 4:10 you seem to be forgetting to introduce Greece’s internal politics?
Emil Rasmussen
2025-08-10 01:35:47 +0000 UTCI'm playing around a bit with how I'm going to fit Serbia and the Black Hand/ Young Bosnia in. After armaments there will be a chapter on 1912-1914 so I think I might introduce them there and then expand on them in the July Crisis. I think there is something to what Clark says, but I remember being quite impressed by John Zametica's response to him in his book 'Folly and Malice'. It was about a year ago I read it now so can't quite remember, I do need to go back and look at my notes for the upcoming chapters, but IIRC he fairly convincingly proved the Serb government wasn't involved in the assassination. Zametica himself is a bit of a schizo but I did enjoy his book, especially his July Crisis chapter. Having said that, there's nothing particularly unique about what Austria does in 1914, the Russians try to do it in Asia and the near East all the time, the Japanese have run off with Korea, the Americans with the Philippines, the British with the Boer States, the French with Morocco. The details are all different but the theme is generally the same. Austria is just unlucky that empire building in Europe is much harder than outside of it.
Old Britannia
2025-07-04 15:31:59 +0000 UTCThanks George, yes, Greece is a really interesting case study in WWI. I actually find its pre-war situation fascinating as well, with your own naval arms race with the Ottomans.
Old Britannia
2025-07-04 15:24:14 +0000 UTCThanks Joe! Bridge's 'From Sadowa to Sarajevo' is still the best thing ever written in English on Austrian pre-war Foreign Policy. Most of my Aehrenthal stuff comes from there. Difficult with Aehrenthal in power. The relationship was just so toxic by that point. Once he was gone I absolutely think there was a chance for reconciliation though. It would have been hard, and Austria was going to have to swallow its pride and make concessions because Russia was getting so much stronger + Vienna's diplomatic position is collapsing. But Franz Ferdinand was desperate to revive the Three Emperors League in some form, and Berchtold was a Russophile. Whether that would have translated into a reconciliation though I don't know, suspect there is a good chance that if Franz Ferdinand inherited in 1916 Russia would be strong enough to tell them to get stuffed.
Old Britannia
2025-07-04 15:22:43 +0000 UTCExcellent video. What really resonated with me as a Greek person were your comments about the ‘mercenary’ nature of Bulgaria leading up to WW1. Definitely interesting in the sense that while Bulgaria deliberated between benefactors out of a desire to extract the most territorial concessions possible and eventually joined the Central Powers to get a second chance at achieving maximalist goals from the Balkan Wars, the Greeks essentially entered the war under gunpoint from the Entente and mostly as the default position purely because the Ottomans joined the Central Powers. Even though great territorial concessions were briefly achieved, Greek attitudes towards either side were ephemeral and mostly affected by the personal dynamics between Venizelos and the King rather than any serious analysis of the geopolitical chessboard.
George Panageas
2025-07-03 10:47:21 +0000 UTCAnother wonderful video! Just a quick question, what is your main source on Aehrenthal? Not doubting anything you’ve said in this or your Bosnia video, just wondering as I’d probably enjoy the read. He seems like such an interesting figure in the build up to war. Do you think a rapprochement between Austria and Russia was possible with him in post (following the Bosnian situation) or do you think any meaningful warming would be dependent on his being removed? Obviously they didn’t improve in any event.
Joe
2025-07-03 07:55:34 +0000 UTCI know you're close to finishing this series and the armaments video is next (I think) but will there be a video on the actions of Serbia towards Austria Hungary before the final July Crisis video? Or a brief description of the Black Hand and the peculiar way in which Serbia governmed itself? Im no fan of Christopher Clarke and his Sleepwalkers book but I found that by far the best part of the book was the start with his different take on Austria Hungary and particularly Serbia which he makes out to be a borderline rogue state. The argument basically being that Austria Hungary had very legitimate concerns about Serbia and its actions outside and within the Austro Hungarian Empire. I mean a Bosnian Serb working for a secret military society that kinda sorta ran the Serbian government and assassinated people it doesn't like did just murder the heir to the Austro Hungarian throne. These are not the actions of a "normal state". On a related note what's your take on the argument that the state Europe found itself in after the Balkan Wars left Europe fundamentally unstable? The Great Powers had been taken by surprise by the victory of the Balkan League and were left scrambling to try and work out a settlement that the Balkan countries would actually accept and that would keep Austria Hungary and Russia content. As it was Russia was left with a friendly but aggressive and uncontrollable ally in Serbia and Austria Hungary was left with an intolerable threat to its south in a new and expanded Serbia
Lovable Snowman
2025-07-02 21:06:50 +0000 UTCThanks Chris, really glad you enjoyed it!
Old Britannia
2025-07-02 19:09:27 +0000 UTCHaha, thanks Mark. Unfortunately I’ve learnt if I’m not very critical of myself here I end up regretting it when the video’s out. Thanks for your support, your comments are very flattering.
Old Britannia
2025-07-02 19:09:11 +0000 UTCI second these comments.
nickolas jovanovic
2025-07-02 16:57:58 +0000 UTCWhat a wonderful production. Loved every second.
Chris R
2025-07-02 08:41:24 +0000 UTCAnother great video as always. The Balkan Wars are a criminally under appreciated part of history and this is easily the best video I've seen on the topic in my long and storied career of watching YouTube videos. As for the "elements of the video that you dislike" I have a couple notes. At around 12:50 you say that "as usual the scheme immediately blew up in St. Petersburg's stupid face." And at about 25:50 you say "One particularly stupid deputy in the Duma..." It's completely unnecessary to directly insult the Russians in this way. A big part of the charm and humour of your videos is the matter-of-fact/deadpan delivery you have. You lose that neutral tone by insulting these long dead people like that. It gives off the impression the you are bitter and think that you have been personally slighted by the Russians. You don't need to change much. In the first example just lose the word "stupid". And in the second, if I'm interpreting your intention right, it would be better to emphasize how hyperbolic a statement "Diplomatic Mukden" is rather than calling the person who said it an idiot. Regardless of how true it might be that these people were moronic at times, your audience is smart enough to come to that conclusion themselves without you resorting to petty insults. Besides, you've already cracked the formula on how to insult historical people when you really want it to be said in your videos: Just quote their contemporaries. As for the conclusion, I have a much less firm opinion. But I think the video would have been just fine ending at 35:30. If you absolutely must have that last overall analysis of the Great Powers in the video I think it would be better if it came before that final assessment of Austria's position. It's a fine enough segment to wind down to the end of the video on but holy crap "The lesson taken by Austrian hawks was that with German support equivocal the next time they received it they must not waste it." is a hell of a cliffhanger. Gave me chills precisely because I know what's coming next.
Cody Miller
2025-07-02 08:09:16 +0000 UTCMate you are so critical of yourself, I hope you channel it constructively. This shit could be way worse and still be gold for your watchers. Thank you!!!
Kark
2025-07-02 07:05:14 +0000 UTC
