The First World War could be called the War of the Ottoman Succession. It was, in part, a struggle between Austria and Russia for domination in the areas in the Balkans once ruled by the Ottoman Empire. Its first shots were fired in the former Ottoman city of Sarajevo. Throughout the summer and autumn of 1914, as the European powers were locked in battle, the Ottoman government hesitated. Finally, at the end of October, against the wishes of his colleagues, Enver Pasha decided to attack Russian targets with the new warships in the Black Sea. His decision led to war across Europe, the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the end of stability in the Middle East. Initially, the alliance between the Ottoman Empire and the Central Powers worked well. In the first half of the 20th century, Germany was not the source of horror that it later became. Britain, France and Russia were the enemies to be feared and resented. By comparison, Germany appeared friendly. The Ottoman government calculated that its alliance with the Central Powers would restore the glory of the empire, help it recover some of the islands lost to Greece in 1913, and perhaps lead to an extension of territory in Turkish-speaking central Asia.