Article: The Balkans and the Peace of Europe
THE BALKANS AND THE PEACE OF EUROPE
position of this commanding site on the Bosphorus has, in turn, made the Persians, Gauls, Greeks, Romans and Turks mistress of the Eastern Mediterranean. Its possession today by any strong government would disturb the balance of power of all Europe. All questions could have been settled satisfactorily by the treaty of Berlin, in 1878, had Constantinople been given to Turkey and the rest of Moslem territory divided up among the Balkan States. But by the jealousies and mischievous interference of the powers, Bulgaria and Servia were allowed a smaller measure of liberty and territory than they had won, and Turkey was continued in misrule over many Christian peoples. Thus a situation was created that menaced the peace of Europe for thirty-five years. Then, instead of keeping order in Turkey as they had promised to do, it became the policy of the countries in the Triple Alliance to profit by the growing feebleness of the Turkish government. Austria annexed [[../Bosnia, Herzegovina and Novi-Bazar|Bosnia and Herzegovina]], old Servian provinces on the Adriatic. [[../German Empire|Germany]] got railroad concessions in Asia Minor, and Italy occupied Tripoli, a Turkish possession in Africa. When all the resources of Turkey were engaged in a war with Italy and a revolution at home, the Balkan States saw their opportunity to reassert their rights.
As early as February, 1912, Bulgaria, Servia, Montenegro and Greece entered into a secret alliance to drive Turkey out of Europe. Every detail of the plan was well
Image: KING NICHOLAS OF MONTENEGRO
Image: THE SULTAN, MEHMED V.
Image: KING FERDINAND OF BULGARIA
Image: KING PETER OF SERVIA
Image: LATE KING GEORGE OF GREECE
Image: KING CONSTANTINE I. OF GREECE
Image: UNIFORM OF TURKISH SOLDIER
Image: TYPES OF MONTENEGRIN RESERVISTS
Image: UNIFORM OF THE ALLIES
