FERDINAND AND THE BALKAN LEAGUE
The independent kingdom of Bulgaria occupied a very different position
in the eyes of the Powers to that of the vassal Principality. Soon
Ferdinand began to feel some of the disadvantages of greatness, and to
recognize the responsibilities he had incurred by his coup with
Austria. He had incurred the suspicion of Russia and Rumania on the one
side, and the enmity of Serbia on the other, while Turkey was only
biding its time to avenge his share in the breaking of the Berlin
Treaty.
The new régime in Turkey was no better than the old, and the atrocities
in Macedonia continued, Bulgarian and Turkish bands vying with one
another in cruelty and oppression. Russia’s remedy for this state of
things was a league of the Balkan States for mutual defence, and
eventually all except Rumania were induced to come to an agreement. In
this agreement the protecting hand of Russia obtained for Serbia a
measure of protection from Austria equivalent to that guaranteed to
Bulgaria against the vengeful Turk.
Thus in the treaty between Serbia and Bulgaria it was agreed that for
purposes of mutual defence Bulgaria must put into the field at least
200,000 men, and Serbia not less than 150,000. Article 3 of the
military convention between these two nations stipulated “If
Austria-Hungary attacks Serbia or sends her army into the Sandjak of
Novi-Bazar, Bulgaria engages herself to declare war upon Austria at
once, and to send into Serbia an army which shall not be less than
200,000 soldiers strong, and which, in association with the Serbian
army, shall engage in offensive and defensive operations against
Austria-Hungary.”
Now Ferdinand wanted an alliance against Turkey, but not an alliance
against Austria. When this treaty was presented to him by his Ministers
for signature he demurred, and sent it back for the deletion of the
offending clause. But Russia was firm, and threatened to withdraw her
support of the alliance unless the clause protecting Serbia against
Austria were included. Then Ferdinand signed; and throwing down the pen
dramatically exclaimed—
“May God preserve Bulgaria from the consequences!”
The treaty was signed on February 29, 1912.
Then Ferdinand prepared his coup against Turkey without further loss of
time. The pretext for the mobilization of the Bulgarian army, which was
ordered on October 5, 1912, was the “massacre” of Kochana, a town in
Macedonia, close to the Bulgarian border. It began with a bomb
explosion contrived by Ferdinand’s own emissaries, and followed with
reprisals on both sides.
Then Ferdinand ordered the mobilization of the army, and issued a
proclamation in his very best style. Here are some extracts:—
“The tears of the Balkan slave and the groaning of millions of
Christians could not but stir our hearts, the hearts of their kinsmen
and co-religionists, who are indebted for our peaceful life to a great
Christian Liberator, and the Bulgarian nation has often remembered the
prophetic words of the Czar Liberator, ‘The work is begun, it must be
carried through.’
“I bring to the cognisance of the Bulgarian nation that war is
declared. I order the brave Bulgarian army to march on the Turkish
territory; at our sides, and with us will fight, for the same object
against a common enemy, the armies of the Balkan States allied to
Bulgaria—Serbia, Greece and Montenegro. And in this struggle of the
Cross against the Crescent, of liberty against tyranny, we shall have
the sympathy of all those who love justice and progress.... Forward,
may God be with you.”
Then they danced the national dances and sang the national songs in the
streets of Sofia, and carefully rehearsed shouts were raised of “Long
live our heroic Czar!”
It is not within the compass of this narrative to enter into the
details of the first Balkan war. The Bulgarian army fought as might
have been expected, with a savage bravery. The behaviour of its
soldiery eclipsed the worst exploits of the Huns in Belgium. These
peasants were only one generation more advanced in civilization than
the eye-gouging heroes of the old Czars, and nothing could restrain
them.
They beat the Turks at Kirk Kilisse and Lule Burgas, and pursued the
flying enemy, by Ferdinand’s order, to the very lines of Chatalja. They
laid siege to Adrianople, and had he not interfered, would have soon
entered that city and butchered the bulk of its Turkish inhabitants.
But Ferdinand preferred to be away at Carlsbad when any butchery was
going on, and interfered, so that the capture of the city was delayed
until a strong Serbian force came on the scene, and hastened its
surrender.
The Greeks, as is well known, made straight for Salonica, of which
important port they took possession. The Montenegrins did wonders on
the Adriatic coast, while the Serbians were equally successful in their
sphere of the war; and, as I have said, helped to bring about the fall
of Adrianople.
But Ferdinand’s attempt to force a way to Constantinople failed, and
the Bulgarian army got a severe handling at the lines of Chatalja. On
November 1, Ferdinand had rejected a peace proposal from Turkey,
without communicating it to his Allies; but by the end of the year he
was trying to make peace with Turkey, again without his Allies. The
fall of Adrianople in March brought to a head the disagreement of the
Allies about the division of the conquered territory.
Then, according to the treaties which bound the Balkan States, the
differences should have been referred to Russia for arbitration. The
clause of the treaties which imposed this condition is worth quoting:—
“Every difference which may be manifested concerning the interpretation
and execution of any of the stipulations of the treaty, its secret
annex, or military conventions, is to be submitted to the final
decision of Russia as soon as one or other party declares that it is
impossible to reach an agreement with the other party by direct
negotiation.”
But a reference of his claims to Russia was the last thing Ferdinand
wanted. His hesitation at signing the clause protecting Serbia against
Austria had not won him the confidence of Russia, and he feared that he
would not have anything the best of such arbitration. Serbia was now
seeking an outlet to the Adriatic, as the reward for her share in the
fighting, and this ambition was opposed to all Austrian interests.
Ferdinand again began to intrigue with Austria, and to palter with
Russia and his allies. He dismissed his pacific Prime Minister, M.
Gueschoff, and ordered Dr. Daneff to form a ministry. That ministry
resisted arbitration by every means in its power.
Meanwhile Ferdinand was preparing for a treacherous attack upon the
forces of his Allies. The Bulgarian armies were concentrated upon the
Macedonian borders, and secret preparations of great elaboration were
pushed forward.
At midnight on June 29, the Serbians and Greeks along the entire front
were suddenly and violently attacked. As they had not expected this act
of treachery, they were driven back in wild confusion. But they soon
rallied, and at the same time Bulgaria had to submit to an invasion
from the fresh troops of Rumania. Turkey again moved forward, and the
Bulgarians found themselves unable to resist the combination of enemies
against them. Ferdinand was forced to sign the disadvantageous Treaty
of Bucarest.
Thus Ferdinand’s treachery met its due reward. What it cost Bulgaria at
the time will now be related. What it will eventually cost Bulgaria
cannot yet be detailed, but it is certain that the peasant State has
not yet paid a tithe of the price of ranging itself on the side of the
Huns.
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FERDINAND THE MARTYR
“_If God and my foes grant me life, we shall go on, and my children, my
successors, will follow the road on which I have been the
pioneer._”—FERDINAND OF BULGARIA.
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