... to be a failure. To prevent either Russia from replacing Turkey as the dominant power in the region or the already independent Balkan States like Serbia from dividing up the remaining Turkish territory, Austria-Hungary was forced to seek a partition of the Balkans. Thus, her action in changing the status of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908 marked her aggressive foreign policy. The annexation made Serbia very angry as she had always wanted to unite with these two states. It ended the Serbs' hope. In the tension thus created the outbreak of war seemed imminent, for Russia encouraged the Serbs in their resistance. In March 1909, Germany declared to aid Austria-Hungary and threatened Russia with war, Russia at last back down. The isolation of Serbia compelled her to bow her head to the inevitable, and she was obliged to make a formal declaration of her submission to the will of Austria. ...

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