f mind. She had been the leader in the war against Turkey, she had
suffered heavy losses, and she had gained almost nothing. Moreover she
had lost to Roumania, a territory containing a quarter of a million
Bulgarians, and a splendid harbor on the Black Sea. Serbia and Greece
were the big winners. Such a treaty could not be a final settlement. The
Balkans were left seething with unrest. Serbia, though she had gained
much, was still dissatisfied. Her ambitions, however, now turned in the
direction of the Jugoslavs under the rule of Austria, and it was her
agitation in this matter which directly brought on the Great War. But
Bulgaria was sullen and ready for revenge. When the Great War began,
therefore, Roumania, Serbia, Montenegro and Greece were strongly in
sympathy with Russia, who had been their backer and friend. Bulgaria, in
spite of all she owed to Russia in the early days, was now ready to find
protection from an alliance with the Central Powers. Her feeling was
well known to the Allies, and every effort was made to obtain her
friendship and, if possible, her aid.

Viviani, then Premier of France, in an address before the French Chamber
of Deputies, said:

The Balkan question was raised at the outset of the war, even
before it came to the attention of the world. The Bucharest Treaty
had left in Bulgaria profound heartburnings. Neither King nor
people were resigned to the loss of the fruits of their efforts and
sacrifices, and to the consequences of the unjustifiable war they
had waged upon their former allies. From the first day, the Allied
governments took into account the dangers of such a situation, and
sought a means to remedy it. Their policy has proceeded in a spirit
of justice and generosity which has characterized the attitude of
Great Britain, Russia and Italy as well as France. We have
attempted to re-establish the union of the Baltic peoples, and in
accord with them seek the realization of their principal national
aspirations. The equilibrium thus obtained by mutual sacrifices
really made by each would have been the best guarantee of future
peace. Despite constant efforts in which Roumania, Greece and
Serbia lent their assistance, we have been unable to obtain the
sincere collaboration of the Bulgarian Government. The difficulties
respecting the negotiations were always at Sofia.

At the beginning of the war it ap