THE NEW EUROPE
THE REORGANIZATION OF EUROPE
Austria may be said to have gained by the Turkish peril. The original "East March" grew in size, and, in the 16th century, formed, by "personal union" with Bohemia and Hungary, a large and potent State. Hungary, at that time, was weak, because only a small part of the kingdom could join Bohemia and Austria, the bulk of it being under Turkish rule. Only at the beginning of the 18th century was the whole of Hungary liberated; but Austria's policy towards Turkey soon changed — the foe became the friend. Austria turned against Russia and Turkey became her ally.
At the head of the German-Roman Empire, Austria, continuing the ideas of the Roman imperium, was an organ of the German efforts against the East; simultaneously with Austria there developed in Prussia another German political scheme — the Drang nach Osten. Austria and Prussia became political opponents in their rivalry to obtain the control of Germany; but, after the defeat of Austria, the two antagonists were united in a common imperialistic aim: the conquest of the East. With this end in view, Austria and Prussia joined hands against Russia.
Thus the Eastern Question assumed a new aspect — Prussianized Germany, closely allied with Austria-Hungary striving to become an Asiatic and African power. This endeavour determines the relation of both countries to Russia and to the Western Powers, especially to Great Britain.
The road from Berlin and Vienna to Constantinople leads through Petrograd; the road from Petrograd leads through Berlin and Vienna. Pangermanic "Central Europe" extends the original "Eastern March" of Austria and Prussia through Turkey as far as the Persian Gulf. By way of Turkey, too, it will be possible to extend Prusso-Austrian aims viâ Egypt to Africa in general. The Emperor William has promised his protection,not only to the Turks, but to the whole Moslem world; the colonial policy of Berlin is chiefly concentrated on Africa.
The German-Austrian plan is described by the watch-word, "Berlin-Bagdad," or, more completely, "Hamburg-Berlin-Prague-Vienna-Budapest-Belgrade-Constantinople-Bagdad"; the other line to Bagdad goes from Berlin viâ Munich and Budapest or Trieste-Suez; the third line is viâ Berlin-Breslau-Bucarest-Constantinople; and, finally, there is the branch line, Belgrade-Salonika-Constantinople-Suez. The
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