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The Bulgarian Crisis
- Bulgaria no longer wanted Russian Interference
- Eastern Rumelia proclaims union with Bulgaria
- Bulgarian Parliament offers throne to German Prince Ferdinand
- Opposed by Russia, supported by Austria, tensions grow
- Bismarck publishes terms of Dual Alliance (1879) - If Russia attacked Germany would back up Austria - If Austria attacked, she would fight Russia alone
- Neither countries prepared to fight over Bulgaria, tensions cease
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The Armenian Massacres
- Armenia, province in the south-east area of the Black Sea
- A large Orthodox Christian population
- Were ruled by the Muslim Turks (Ottomans)
- Persecuted Armenians for their faith
- After an uprising in 1894 Ottomans carried out a series of massacres until 1896
- Observed no distinction between age or gender (children massacred as well)
- Massacre received extensive media coverage in Western Europe and the United States
- Ottomans saved from action by disagreements amongst powers
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The Cretan Uprising
- Ottoman Empire ruled the Island of Crete (10% Muslim minority)
- Main inhabitants were Christian Greeks
- The Christians rose up against the Muslims, resulting in brief civil war
- In 1896 Greece declared war and sent troops to the Island - Defeated by the Turks
- Great powers intervened, Crete given self-governing rights in 1908
- Became Greek in 1913
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The Bosnian Annexation Crisis
- Taking advantage of the trouble in the Ottoman Empire Austria Hungary takes full control over Bosnia and Herzegovina (formerly part of the Ottoman Empire)
- Frustrated Serb nationalists who sought independence
- The 1909 treaty of Berlin accepted the annexation
- Crisis damaged relations between Austria, Serbia, Italy, and Russia
- Appeared as Austro-Hungarian victory
- Resulted in hastened military buildup of Russian Empire
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Young Turk Revolution
- Young Turks, group of nationalists
- Led by Enver Bay, future officer in WWI and both Balkan Wars
- With army support, advocated introduction of a constitutional parliament
- Forced Sultan to introduce reforms in 1908
- Unsuccessful counter-coup in 1909, Sultan replaced by his brother
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The First Balkan War
- Continued Ottoman persecution of slavic countries
- Led to formation of the Balkan League, included Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, and Greece
- League aimed at driving the Ottomans out of Europe (spec. Slavic Areas) and declared war
- The combined armies of the Balkan States overcame the numerically and strategically inferior Ottomans and achieved rapid success
- After 7 months of fighting (1913) the Ottomans were left with only Constantinople
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The Treaty of London
- Signed on the 30th May 1913
- Dealt with the territorial adjustments of the First Balkan War
- Austria demanded Serbia and Montenegro to leave the Adriatic Coast, led to creation of the state of Albania
- Constantinople left to Turkey, remainder divided between Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria
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The Second Balkan War
- Shortly after the Treaty of London war broke out between the Balkan League
- Bulgaria was unhappy with the terms and attacked Serbia
- The Greeks and Romanians, fearing Bulgaria, decided to support the Serbs
- The Ottomans intervened to gain Adrianople
- The Treaty of Bucharest signed after this short war, meant a loss of great areas to Serbia, Greece, Romania, and Turkey
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The Treaty of Lausanne
- Peace Treaty signed five years after the end of WWI
- Defined the modern day borders of the Turkish Republic
- Turkey gave up all claims to the remainder of the Ottoman Empire, in return, it received full sovereignty within its new borders.