The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

The differences between the Bulgarian views and interests and those pursued by Serbia and Greece were further emphasised during the Peace Conference in London.

The object of the liberation of the Christians from Turkish rule was attained in November 1912, when Turkey had lost the whole of Macedonia and a considerable portion of Thrace. The Greek inhabitants remaining in Eastern Thrace and in the environs of Constantinople would surely not prefer the Bulgarian to the Turkish rule. Peace could be concluded, and the spoils be divided among the allies without much trouble; but the Bulgarian Government insisted on the conquest of Adrianople and made the surrender of that city the sine qua non of peace in the Balkans. The Turks preferred the continuation of the war to the surrendering of a fortress and a city dear to their national and religious sentiments. Thus Greece and Serbia were obliged, by the dead letter of the treaty of alliance, to make further sacrifices in blood and money solely to satisfy the Bulgarian ambitions of conquest and pride.

The Bulgarians asked and obtained the Serbian military assistance for the besieging and subsequently for the storming of Adrianople. That assistance, together with the frustration of the Serbian hopes of obtaining access to the Adriatic, entitled Serbia to some kind of compensation on the part of her allies. And that compensa-

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