This brings us to the so-called Balkan Alliance about which much has
been written and many errors ignorantly propagated. For months after
the outbreak of the war against Turkey the development of this
Alliance into a Confederation of the Balkan states, on the model of
the American or the German constitution, was a theme of constant
discussion in Europe and America. As a matter of fact there existed
no juridical ground for this expectation, and the sentiments of the
peoples of the four Christian nations, even while they fought
together against the Moslem, were saturated with such an infusion of
suspicion and hostility as to render nugatory any programme of
Balkan confederation. An alliance had indeed been concluded between
Greece and Bulgaria in May, 1912, but it was a defensive, not an
offensive alliance. It provided that in case Turkey attacked either
of these states, the other should come to its assistance with all
its forces, and that whether the object of the attack were the
territorial integrity of the nation or the rights guaranteed it by
international law or special conventions. Without the knowledge of
the Greek government, an offensive alliance against Turkey had in
March, 1912, been concluded between Servia and Bulgaria which
determined their respective military obligations in case of war and
the partition between them, in the event of victory, of the
conquered Turkish provinces in Europe. A similar offensive and
defensive alliance between Greece and Turkey was under
consideration, but before the plan was matured Bulgaria and Servia
had decided to declare war against Turkey. This decision had been
hastened by the Turkish massacres at Kochana and Berane, which
aroused the deepest indignation, especially in Bulgaria. Servia and
Bulgaria informed Greece that in three days they would mobilize
their forces for the purpose of imposing reforms on Turkey, and, if
within a specified time they did not receive a satisfactory reply,
they would invade the Ottoman territory and declare war. They
invited Greece on this short notice to co-operate with them by a
simultaneous mobilization. It was a critical moment not only for the
little kingdom of King George, but for that great cause of Hellenism
which for thousands of years had animated, and which still animated,
the souls of the Greek population in all Aegean lands.