If Russian persuasion and gold could have induced Roumania
to throw her armies into the field against the Turk, the map of the
Balkans would show some mighty changes. A Roumanian army corps,
menacing Turkey's northwestern frontier during her struggle with the
Balkan Allies, would certainly have seen the occupation of
Constantinople by the allied forces. But those army corps were
withheld through Austro-German influence and pressure on Roumania.
Ready they were and they came in handy and were made use of by Germany
and Austria in keeping Servia and Bulgaria in check. Bulgaria, Servia
and Montenegro, stanchly believing Russia's promises in securing
ratification of their successes and territory, found themselves left
to their own resource, Russia being unable through force of
circumstances to exert her pledged influence.
Humanity has been staggered by the results of the wars in the Balkans,
but to those who were behind the scenes the results did not come as a
surprise. Bulgaria alone had enough successes against the Turk to
warrant great acquisitions of territory, so with her allies. Under
ordinary circumstances there would have been no return to the _status
quo ante-bellum_. Why this return?
When little countries previously hereditary enemies are welded
together by an outside power and the influence of this power
subsequently wanes, there is an inevitable outcome.
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