Part 7/11:
What if Bismarck’s "blank check" had never been given? Speculation about an alternate history offers interesting possibilities. If Austria-Hungary secured alternative support or softened its demands, it could have preserved peace in the immediate term, albeit temporarily.
In this scenario, without German backing, Austria-Hungary would have found itself in a precarious position had it declared war on Serbia. The Austro-Hungarian military would have struggled against a united Serbian effort, leading to a rapid Russian victory in the ensuing conflict. This shift might have ended with the disintegration of the Austro-Hungarian Empire sooner, leading to a reconfiguration of the Balkans with Serbia emerging as a significant regional power, supported and backed by Russia.