great their satisfaction was that a close and confidential diplomatic
co-operation with Great Britain, especially in questions concerning the
Near East, had become a fact. And it has to be acknowledged today that
at that time the German and British interests in the Near East were
identical or at any rate ran in parallel lines.

The collapse of European Turkey in the war against the Balkan Alliance
created an entirely new situation. At first Bulgaria was victorious and
great, then it was beaten and humiliated by the others with the
intellectual help of Russia. There could be no doubt about Russia's
intentions: she was preparing for the total subjection of weakened
Turkey and for taking possession of the Dardanelles and Constantinople
in order to rule from this powerful position Turkey and the other Balkan
States. Great Britain and the German Empire, which only had economic
interests in Turkey, were bound to wish to strengthen Turkey besides
trying to prevent the Muscovite rule on the whole Balkan peninsula.

Servia had come out of the second Balkan war greatly strengthened and
with her territory very much increased. Russia had done everything to
strengthen this bitter enemy of our ally, Austria-Hungary. For a great
number of years Servian politicians and conspirators had planned to
undermine the southeastern provinces of Austria-Hungary and to separate
them from the Dual Monarchy. In Servia as well as in Russia prevailed
the opinion that, at the first attack, Austria-Hungary would fall to
pieces. In this case Servia was to receive South Austria and Russia was
to dictate the peace in Vienna. The Balkan war had ruined Turkey almost
entirely, had paralyzed Bulgaria, that was friendly, and had
strengthened the Balkan States that were hostile to Austria. At the same
time there began in Rumania a Russian and French propaganda, that
promised this country, if it should join the dual alliance, the
Hungarian Province of Siebenbuergen.

Thus it became evident in Germany and in Austria that at St. Petersburg,
first by diplomatic and political, then also by military, action a
comprehensive attack of Slavism under Russian guidance was being
prepared. The party of the Grand Dukes in St. Petersburg, the party of
the Russian officers, always ready for war, and the Pan-Slavists, the
brutal and unscrupulous representatives of the idea that the Russian
Czarism was destined to rule Europe--all these declared openly that
their aim was the d