CHAPTER XXIX THE NATIONS SINCE 1 87 1 Only in the east of Europe have European states actually been at war with each other since the conclusion of the struggle between Germany and France. The pretext for the war between Russia and Turkey in 1877-78 was found in the Turkish misgovernment of the Danubian and Balkan provinces with a population mainly Christian and Slavonic. Its motive was to a great extent to be classed as The Chris- Nationalist. An insurrection began in Bosnia tian and Herzegovina at the extreme north-west of the Provinces. Turkish Empire. East of these on the south of the Danube come Servia and then Bulgaria. These, with Monte- negro on the west, joined the insurrection ; with the sympathy of Slavonic Russia and the Slavonic parts of the Austrian Empire. Representations from the powers urging reforms were disregarded by the Porte — that is, the Turkish government — whose troops set about repressing the insurgents ; while the stories of their brutalities created much excitement among the western nations. With the avowed object of securing at any rate the minimum of tolerable government for the Christian popula- tions, Russia declared war on Turkey, and was joined by the The Russian principality of Roumania on the north of the War - Danube, which also declared itself independent. The Turks offered a brilliantly stubborn defence at Plevna, but were reduced by starvation, and seven months after the war began the Russians were at Adrianople. In another two months the Porte accepted the treaty of San Stefano (March, 1878). The British demand that the terms of the treaty should 308
