Europe 373
Serbia and Bulgaria concluded an armistice with the Turks on December 3, 1912,
shortly after the war began. However, a conference in London with the warring parties
and the great powers in December 1912 produced no satisfactory outcome. Serbia and
Bulgaria returned to fighting on February 3, 1913, joining Greek forces that had never
stopped fighting. A second armistice was finally signed on April 19, and a treaty in
London signed on May 30 concluded the war.
The Treaty of London had profound effects. Albania was declared an independent
state, which was a loss for Serbia since they had wanted to annex it outright. The
Ottomans lost most of its European territories, save for some territory west of Istanbul.
Beyond that, the winning parties were left to divide up the spoils of war in a manner
that portended war. Serbia was especially unhappy. Serbia demanded part of now-
Bulgarian Macedonia as a compromise for not gaining Albania. Bulgaria refused and
soon attacked its former allies under duress, prompting the Second Balkan War (see
MID#1251).
MID#317
Dispute Number: 317
Date(s): November 6, 1912 to March 31, 1913
Participants: 365 Russia/355 Bulgaria, 640 Turkey
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (None)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: In 1912, war broke out in the Balkans. The Russians threatened to send
the Black Sea fleet to Constantinople to protect it from the Bulgarians should the city
be overrun. Throughout the conflict, Russia maintained an active presence trying to
involve the major states into limiting the war and Bulgarian advancements on the
Ottomans, which would give them control of the Dardanelles.
Coding changes: Start Date changed from November 2, 1912.
MID#1251
Started in April, 1913. See the narrative in the 345 Yugoslavia/355 Bulgaria dyad
dispute list.
MID#3352
Dispute Number: 3352
Date(s): August 21, 1915 to August 23, 1915
Participants: 355 Bulgaria/640 Turkey
Outcome (and Settlement): Yield by side B (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: At the start of World War I, the tensions between the Ottoman Empire
and Bulgaria had become well known, but Bulgaria felt that its claims with the
Ottoman Empire were resolved after the Balkan Wars. Instead, Bulgarian dissatis-
faction was directed more at its Balkan neighbors: Serbia, Macedonia, and Greece.
Bulgaria claimed important parts of these three states and, during the early months