30 points in the years leading up to world war i, the balkans region of europe became an area of tension and unrest. what caused this conflict in the balkans? russian military camps had been built along the border to promote fighting. nationalism was spreading through the balkans, creating a “powder keg,” or dangerous and volatile situation in the region. the ottoman empire fought austria-hungary for control of the region. serbia wanted to be taken over by bosnia-herzegovina to become one slavic nation.