(1908) International crisis caused by Austria-Hungary's annexation of the Balkan provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Russia supported Serbia, which protested the annexation and demanded that Austria cede part of the territory to Serbia, but Austria-Hungary, supported by Germany, threatened to invade Serbia if it persisted in its demands. Since Russia could not risk war against both Germany and Austria-Hungary, it was forced to accept the annexation. Though the crisis was resolved without immediate warfare, it contributed to the outbreak of World War I .