The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

economic development, to strengthen and insure each other’s State independence and national freedom; but they negotiated the treaty of alliance against Turkey with the secret thoughts of using each other only as a ladder for ascending to the summit of political supremacy in the Balkans. No wonder that such a league could not continue, and that as soon as Turkey was defeated the mask was thrown off and the falsehood on which the first Balkan League was founded became evident to everybody.

The first rift in the lute occurred very soon. It happened in December 1912. Macedonia was cleared from the Turkish forces; the Serbian Army, in pursuit of some miserable remnants of the Turkish regiments defeated at Kumanovo and Monastir, penetrated to and occupied Durazzo in Albania, and with jubilation celebrated the long-cherished dream of obtaining access to the sea. Adrianople was besieged by the united Serbo-Bulgarian forces, and after some bloody fighting the Bulgarian troops were stalemated before the Chataldja lines. The negotiations for peace were to open in London, whither all the Balkan States were sending their delegates. Austria-Hungary became restless, and already through her papers and diplomatic notes gave expression to her ill-humour and hostile disposition towards Serbia. As Serbia’s military successes created a deep impression and called forth such an outburst of national enthusiasm among

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