Sofia, December 7th, 1914
Fifth Letter: Terms of Settlement and Bulgarian Demands
In his rule, Abdul Hamid took full advantage of the racial divisions between different Christian groups in European Turkey. He never persecuted them all at once. When he attacked the Greeks or Serbs, he favored the Bulgarians, and when he persecuted the Bulgarians, he favored the Greeks or Serbs.
For many years before he was forced to step down, Abdul Hamid’s persecutions were mostly focused on the Bulgarians, the group he feared the most. After him, the Young Turks began to persecute all the Christian groups, which ended up uniting them Betrayal and Dishonesty in 1913.
Alliance Between Greece, Serbia, and Bulgaria
At one point, it seemed like the Greeks and Bulgarians in Southern Macedonia might start working together, despite opposition from Greek religious leaders. This led to an alliance between Serbia and Bulgaria, and later, Greece also joined in.
The Start of War and the Reaction in Europe
Meanwhile, the two countries that were most concerned with their own interests were working hard to protect them. Suddenly, war broke out, and the Christian countries marched against their old enemy.
The speed and success of their victories shocked the European powers. The two countries most involved in the conflict watched with obvious worry Guided Istanbul Tours.
A strong wave of sympathy spread across Western Europe. This wave of support was especially strong in Great Britain, where British public sympathy for the Christian people of the Balkans was the strongest it had ever been.
