<P> In the Italo - Turkish War or Turco - Italian War Italy defeated the Ottoman Empire in North Africa in 1911 - 12 . Italy easily captured the important coastal cities but its army failed to advance far into the interior . Italy captured the Ottoman Tripolitania Vilayet (province), of which the most notable sub-provinces (sanjaks) were Fezzan, Cyrenaica, and Tripoli itself . These territories together formed what became known as Italian Libya . The main significance for the First World War was that this war made it clear that no Great Power appeared to wish to support the Ottoman Empire any longer and this paved the way for the Balkan Wars . Christopher Clark stated: "Italy launched a war of conquest on an African province of the Ottoman Empire, triggering a chain of opportunistic assaults on Ottoman territories across the Balkans . The system of geographical balances that had enabled local conflicts to be contained was swept away ." </P> <P> The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkan Peninsula in south - eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913 . Four Balkan states defeated the Ottoman Empire in the first war; one of the four, Bulgaria, was defeated in the second war . The Ottoman Empire lost nearly all of its holdings in Europe . Austria - Hungary, although not a combatant, was weakened as a much - enlarged Serbia pushed for union of the South Slavic peoples . </P> <P> The Balkan Wars in 1912--1913 increased international tension between the Russian Empire and Austria - Hungary . It also led to a strengthening of Serbia and a weakening of the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria, who might otherwise have kept Serbia under control, thus disrupting the balance of power in Europe in favor of Russia . </P> <P> Russia initially agreed to avoid territorial changes, but later in 1912 supported Serbia's demand for an Albanian port . The London Conference of 1912--13 agreed to create an independent Albania; however both Serbia and Montenegro refused to comply . After an Austrian, and then an international, naval demonstration in early 1912 and Russia's withdrawal of support, Serbia backed down . Montenegro was not as compliant and on May 2, the Austrian council of ministers met and decided to give Montenegro a last chance to comply and, if it would not, then to resort to military action . However, seeing the Austrian military preparations, the Montenegrins requested the ultimatum be delayed and complied . </P>

What were the 5 main causes of ww1