.

THE SECOND BALKAN WAR.--Unfortunately, the victors soon quarreled over
the spoils. Bulgaria had seized Thrace and wanted most of Macedonia,
including the city of Saloni'ca, which had been captured by the Greeks.
Austria intervened to prevent Serbia from getting any increase in
territory on the southwest, toward the Adriatic. Hence Serbia wanted a
share of the lands to the south, claimed by Bulgaria. Bulgaria, backed
by Austria and Germany, refused to make any concessions, or to leave the
dispute to arbitration. She began the second Balkan war with a night
attack on the Serbian and Greek armies, but was unable to defeat them.
On the contrary Bulgaria was defeated within a month, partly because
Roumania and Turkey also entered the struggle against her. Bulgaria had
to give up much of her conquests to her former allies. Roumania claimed
a slice off her northeastern corner, and a Turkish army recaptured
Adrianople and neighboring territory from the hard-pressed Bulgarians.

LOSS OF PRESTIGE BY GERMANY AND AUSTRIA.--One of the important results
of these two wars was the loss of prestige by Germany and Austria. These
"Central Powers," as they were called, had gone out of their way to
encourage first Turkey, and then Bulgaria, and both these countries had
been badly beaten. In any future diplomacy the opinions and desires of
the Central Powers would have less weight and impressiveness than
formerly. To regain their lost influence it was practically certain that
these nations would, at the earliest opportunity, make an attempt to
impose their will upon the victorious Balkan states.

SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY.--1. Locate Macedonia, the Dobrudja,
Nish, Sofia, Durazzo. 2. Define and explain Mittel-Europa;
"The sick man of Europe." 3. Which nations of the Balkan
peninsula border upon the Black Sea? Which border upon the
Adriatic? Which lie along the Danube? 4. On an outline map of
the Balkan peninsula indicate the races to which the
populations belong and their distribution. 5. We have read in
this chapter that the old Roman province of Dacia developed
later into modern Roumania; can you name the Roman provinces
which correspond to the modern nations of France, Spain,
England, Switzerland? 6. What do you know of the history of
Constantinople prior to its capture by the Turks? 7. Explain
the causes of the second Balkan war. How did the outcome of
this war affect the history o