In the years leading up to WWI, many European leaders called the Balkans the “powder keg of Europe.” They would be proven right in 1914, when events in the Balkans lit the fuse that started the war.

What region was referred to as the powder keg in Europe?

The Balkans– the Powder Keg of Europe. In 1914, the Balkan Peninsula, in southeastern Europe, was a particularly tumultuous region: Formerly under the control of the Ottoman Empire which was declining in Europe, the area was under the in춟uence of two competing powers, Russia and Austria-Hungary.

What region was referred to as the powder keg of Europe due to all of the potential ethnic rivalries and tension?

The Balkan Peninsula was described as “the powder keg of Europe” prior to World War I because of nationalistic rivalries.