While Greece and Servia were scattering, capturing, or destroying the
Turkish troops stationed in Macedonia, and closing in on that province
from north and south like an irresistible vise, it fell to Bulgaria to
meet the enemy's main army in the plains of Eastern Thrace. The
distribution of the forces of the Allies was the natural result of
their respective geographical location. Macedonia to the west of the
Vardar and Bregalnitza Rivers was the only part of Turkey which
adjoined Greece and Servia. Thrace, on the other hand, marched with
the southern boundary of Bulgaria from the sources of the Mesta River
to the Black Sea, and its eastern half was intersected {55} diagonally
by the main road from Sofia to Adrianople and Constantinople. Along
this line the Bulgarians sent their forces against the common enemy as
soon as war was declared. The swift story of their military exploits,
the record of their brilliant victories, struck Europe with amazement.
Here was a country which only thirty-five years earlier had been an
unknown and despised province of Turkey in Europe now overwhelming the
armies of the Ottoman Empire in the great victories of Kirk Kilisse,
Lule Burgas, and Chorlu. In a few weeks the irresistible troops of
King Ferdinand had reached the Chataldja line of fortifications. Only
twenty-five miles beyond lay Constantinople where they hoped to
celebrate their final triumph.