First Balkan War 1912-1913

In 1912, after long negotiations under Russian auspices, Serbia and Bulgaria reached temporary agreement on the disposition of Macedonia, the chief issue dividing them. Subsequent agreements by Greece with Serbia, Bulgaria, and Montenegro completed the Balkan League – an uneasy alliance designed by Russia to finally push the Ottoman Empire out of Europe and curtail great-power meddling in the Balkans. The First Balkan War was fought between members of the Balkan League – Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro – and the Ottoman Empire. The league was able to field a combined force of over 700,000 troops, more than twice the size of the force the Ottoman Empire could mobilize. Montenegro opened hostilities by declaring war on the Ottoman Empire on October 8, 1912, and the other members of the league followed, on October 17, 1912, with an invasion.

The Balkan allies were soon victorious. In Thrace, the Bulgarian army defeated the main Ottoman forces, advancing to the outskirts of Constantinople (now Istanbul) and laying siege to Adrianople (Edirne). In Macedonia, the Serbian army achieved a great victory at Kumanovo which enabled it to capture Bitola and to join forces with the Montenegrins and enter Skopje. The Greeks, meanwhile, occupied Salonika (Thessaloníki) and advanced on Ioannina. In Albania, the Montenegrins besieged Shkoder, and the Serbs entered Durres. The Turkish collapse was so complete that all parties were willing to conclude an armistice on December 3, 1912.

A peace conference was begun in London. However, the liberal Turkish government in power in Constantinople (now Istanbul) since July 1912 was overthrown in January 1913, in a coup engineered by Enver Pasha, and the most authoritarian elements of the Young Turk movement gained full control of the government. The Young Turks denounced the armistice and resumed fighting. Again the allies were victorious: Yannina ( Ioannina) fell to the Greeks at the beginning of March 1913 and, three weeks later, Adrianople fell to the besieging Bulgarian-Serb force on March 26th. With the fall of Scutari (Uskudar) to Montenegrin troops on April 22, 1913, the Ottomans reluctantly capitulated.

The Treaty of London, imposed by the great powers, was signed on May 30, 1913. By the terms of the treaty, the Ottoman Empire lost almost all of its remaining European territory, including all of Macedonia and Albania. Albanian independence was insisted upon by the European great powers, and Macedonia was to be divided among the Balkan allies. One estimate of casualties suggests the number of loses to be Bulgaria (32000); Greece (5000); Montenegro (3000); Serbia (15000); and the Ottoman Empire (30000).

References

Clodfelter, 613-4; COW100; EB - Balkan Wars; Bulgaria - A Country Study; Dupuy and Dupuy, 1015-7; Kohn, 50-1; Turkey - A Country Study.

Category

Inter-State War

Region

Eastern Europe

Belligerents

Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro, Ottoman Empire, Serbia

Dispute

Territory

Initiation Date

October 17, 1912

Termination Date

April 22, 1913

Duration

6 months, 6 days
(188 days)

Outcome

Imposed Settlement
(Great Powers)

Fatalities

Total: 85,000
Bulgaria: 32,000
Greece: 5,000
Montenegro: 3,000
Ottoman: 30,000
Serbia: 15,000

Magnitude

4.9