The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

Serbia. The Bulgarians received every assistance and protection in Serbia, whose Government was instrumental in the creation of the Bulgarian Exarchate, helped in the printing of Bulgarian books and opening of Bulgarian schools, and did all in its power for the re-awakening of the Bulgarian national consciousness. The Bulgarian patriots of those days dreamed only of a liberated Bulgaria united with Serbia under one crown.

The dream of the Serbo-Bulgarian union was shattered by the creation of the Bulgarian State in 1878.

After the Congress of Berlin both Serbia and Bulgaria were left in a bitter state of mind. Bulgaria was disappointed because the Treaty of San Stefano was not wholly carried out, and Serbia felt aggrieved in seeing Bosnia and Hercegovina handed over to Austria-Hungary. All her sacrifices sustained as ally of Russia in two wars against Turkey brought her nothing but an unimportant aggrandisement in territory, and only served to create a Bulgaria twice as large as herself, while nearly all the remaining provinces of Old Serbia and Macedonia were ear-marked for Bulgaria by the Treaty of San Stefano. That treaty was most prejudicial to Serbia, and although it was not carried out, it laid the foundation of the political programme of Bulgaria, and completely estranged her from Serbia.

But besides the nefarious political influences

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