Causes of the Balkan Wars

(The Josh Sessler Kitty of Doom)

What were the causes and consequences of the two Balkan Wars?

A: The main causes of the Balkan wars were the desire for Macedonia, and the dispute between Serbia and Bulgaria. As a result of the need to posess Macedonia, it was split into 3 zones, Neautral, and Serbian, and Bulgarian, and an agreement was made that there would be equal support, should the Great Powers attempt to take land from Turkey. As a result the Balkan League was formed, and, using riots that were occuring in Macedonia, as an excuse, the League began mobilizing troops for action. Later, the Balkan League gained possession of of almost all European Turkey. This lead to fear in the Great Powers, and Russia and Austria began to mobilize their own troops, one to support Surbia the other to oppose. (Later Russia backed down). Finally, on May 30, 1913, negotiations of Turkey were settled, and the land was broken up. However, because the issue was settled by the Great Powers and not the Balkan League, Serbia felt a little upset that it was cut off from the Adriatic sea. This lead to the second Balkan war, and Serbia, backed by Greece, was able to declare war on Bulgaria. As a result, Bulgara suffered a humiliating defeat, and was made to surrender different lands to different nations, Serbia and Greece came out with their own parts of Macedonia. As a result, Austria felt threatened by Serbia's power and began to look for new allies against her.