Taking A Closer Look At The Balkan War

The Balkan Wars were two wars that are considered minor in history, but have had more of an impact on the world than people think. The International Encyclopedia of the First World War describes the Balkan Wars as “two sharp conflicts that heralded the onset of World War I”. (Hall) The first began on October 8, 1912 when Montenegro declared war on the Ottoman Empire. Then, the other members of the Balkan League, which included Bulgaria, Greece, and Serbia, joined the war to help Montenegro. (Tharoor) After a few weeks into the war the Balkan League took over Albania, Epirus, Macedonia and Thrace. While the fighting still continued in Adrianople, Scutari, and Janina, a peace conference met in London in December of 1912. The negotiations broke when a coup d’état in Constantinople in January by a group of men who were

They did not get Macedonia, which was their purpose upon entering the war. They lost Ochrida and Monastir, and they only received a small area on the Aegean Sea, which was the worst port of Dedeagatch. Bulgaria also had to cede the all of the Dobrudja that is north of a line that goes from the Danube to above Turtukaia to the western shore of the Black Sea that is south of Ekrene. This territory had about 2,687 square miles with a population of 286,000 people. On the other hand, even though Greece gained a lot they were greatly dissatisfied. The gain of Saloniki was a win, and they were granted the port of Kavala and the territory eastward. In the northwest, Greece faced the opposition of Italy by urging its claims to southern Albania. They were also granted the Aegean Islands which they were dissatisfied with. The territory Serbia was granted embraced central Macedonia, including Ochrida, Monastir, Kossovo, Istib, and Kotchana. This increased Serbia’s territory from 18,650 square miles to 33,891 square miles and increased their population by more than 1,500,000