The Balkans: Nationalism, War And The Great Pow... -

cast itself as the protector of Orthodox Christians and Slavs, seeking access to warm-water ports.

Decades later, after the collapse of the Soviet bloc, the world watched in horror as unraveled. The wars of the 1990s were a tragic reminder that the ghosts of the past—nationalist rhetoric and ethnic divisions—could be easily reawakened. Again, the international community (now led by the US and NATO) intervened, demonstrating that the Balkans remain central to global security. The Modern Dilemma The Balkans: Nationalism, War and the Great Pow...

The is perhaps the clearest example of this. Decisions that would affect millions of Balkan residents for generations were made by diplomats in tailcoats who had never stepped foot in Sarajevo or Sofia. By drawing arbitrary lines on a map, the Great Powers didn't solve the "Eastern Question"—they merely postponed the explosion. The Cycle of War cast itself as the protector of Orthodox Christians

viewed Balkan nationalism as an existential threat to its multi-ethnic empire. Again, the international community (now led by the