The Balkan Wars: A Captivating Guide to the First and Second Balkan War and Their Impact on World War I

by Captivating History

Did you know that the Balkan Peninsula is often referred to as the “powder keg of Europe?”

It was a term devised in the early 20th century to describe the unstable political situation in the region just before it exploded into a conflict known as the First World War. The Balkan Wars were a series of conflicts fought between the Balkan League (Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro) and its allies and the Ottoman Empire. But these wars didn’t involve any of the great European powers such as Germany, France, or the United Kingdom. This is what makes them less known, but they were crucial for the development of the European political scene.

The Balkan Wars were first fought for ethnic groups that were ruled by the Ottoman Empire so they could gain their complete independence and expand their territory. Looking up to the successful western states, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece wanted to achieve national states with a territory that would gather all their ethnic brothers into one state.

But the legacy of the Ottoman Empire lives on in the multiethnic hodgepodge of the Balkan Peninsula. Unlike Westerners, the Ottomans considered their faith to be the uniting factor, not the idea of belonging to a nation. This belief created the complex situation in the Balkans that lasts to this day.

To understand this part of Europe, one must look into the past and understand the obscure and complex conflicts that are known as the Balkan Wars. This book will take you into the past and show you how it all started, from the creation of the Balkan League to the Bucharest Peace Conference.

Read Captivating History’s The Balkan Wars to understand the origins of the conflict, as well
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Genres: History, Nonfiction

136 pages, Paperback

Published August 28, 2021

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

For years, centuries, millennia, the different states within the region of Europe, we know as the Balkans, have fought against each other: fought for occupation: fought for greater territory: fought for independence. There are a whole list of names, some of which have remained, some changed, some vanished and some reappeared: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Bulgaria, Romania, Macedonia, Albania, Turkey, Greece.

The history is a rather complicated affair. And, having read this, 140 page, book, I do feel an urge to declutter the subject, or attempt to .....

..... the causes of 'The Balkans Wars': a series of conflicts between these states over a two-year period (1912 to 1913), was ......... see paragraph one, above. There, how easy was that?

For those of you who have suffered my previous reviews, you'll most likely take note of a growing confidence in 'lickle' me; so, here goes ......

Let's, for a few minutes imagine the Balkans (the land mass) as a draughts (checkers in the good 'ol USA) board. On it we have a number a draught pieces, these pieces have different colours, which can change to match an neighbouring colour in an instant or change to a colour not seen on the board previously. These pieces can also be crowned and so become more powerful and move around on the board more freely.

Point to note here: we are not imagining a game of draughts, in play, (the rules of draughts do not apply), because there are several 'double and triple crowned' pieces, sat just off the board, interfering with the movement of pieces on the board to benefit their own agenda; and we can name those pieces: Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Austria-Hungary.

The pieces on the board want more territory, power and autonomy: rather than call this a game of draughts, we could call it a game of wealth creation (with little regard for the costs).

There you have it - that's The Balkan Wars. Any questions?

Another point to note (a far more important point); without the outcome of these wars being what it was and the outcome was as a direct result of interference by the pieces sitting off the board, the Great War would almost certainly never have happened.

In conclusion: 'Ohh, what a wicked web we weave, when we try to interfere for our own benefit.'

[Anil Swarup · Rating 3 out of 5]

The complicated details of the two Balkan Wars before the Great War get described pretty comprehensively in the book that goes into the details of each battle fought during the two wars. It also brings forth pretty lucidly the complexity of relationships between the warring countries, first the alliance, that included Bulgaria, of all against Turkey and then against Bulgaria itself.

[Jerry Jares · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because European nations weren't major players in the Balkan Wars, we know less about them. Essentially, because these two wars did not resolve things, they led to World War I. Religion, languages, ethnic groups, and political domination have been essential factors in the Balkans. This is the story of fascinating and very old peoples who fought, merged, and created new countries over the centuries.

This book is an excellent explanation of the prelude to World War I, with the decline of the Ottoman Empire. Nationalism was a growing interest in all of the Balkan lands. Regions wanted to solidify their ethnic and religious boundaries with their own country. However, the Turks were not budging. The author was clear in offering the three main reasons for the failure of the Balkan Alliance. The only country with nationalistic notions that became true was Turkey. Although they lost all of their European possessions, they did become a unified country.

Sometimes, my eyes glaze over with war explanations, but this author was clear with explanations and tactics. The author also told the changes in the Balkan Peninsula after the world wars. Thus, the reader can see how the desires leading to the two Balkan Wars generally went unachieved.

[Ash Rowe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a horrible understanding of history. Especially knowledgeable of any wars. This book gave me a clear understanding and introduction to the Balkan Wars. One I never heard of these wars and two when I asked my husband about them he also had no idea what I was talking about, and he loves war history. All war history! I found this book as a great introduction and quick look into the Balkan Wars ( I assume there is more to them but I feel like this was like an outline of events with the need to know information).
It took me so long to read it because I started reading it out loud at night to my 5 year old in hopes it would put him to sleep. It worked ,but it also had him requesting me to read the book every night and he couldn’t miss a chapter. So ,win for putting the kid to sleep. Win for my kiddo liking it ( not sure if he took anything from it but time will tell) and Win for upping my history knowledge in an easy to read and understand format.

[GuyBanff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Balkan Wars the Escaped Causing Great Power Conflict

Interesting outline of small Balkan Wars that did not immediately cause a global conflagration.

These 2 Balkan Wars inadvertently prevented a settlement in the Balkans that could have prevented the tragic outbreak of The Great War

[Eric J. Hartsfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good summary of the always complicated Balkans

This is a good introduction of the complex and convoluted relations between the various states of the Balkans. My one major criticism of the book is a complete lack of maps.

[Drasko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately good part of book sounds like high school assignment. Military equipment of belligerents is skimmed over, operations are described superficially and only redeeming factor is explanation of diplomatic maneuvering behind the scenes.

[Big A · Rating 3 out of 5]

decent speed and intonation

I enjoyed the audio book but i did have a few technical issues where it would not work on my Apple iPad Pro Gen 5 with latest software update as of August 2025.

[Morgan Losnedahl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Balkan Wars

It was a great story. It was very detailed. I was sucked in by the very beginning. I would recommend it to anyone.