The Balkan Wars

Abstract

In 1912, Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia, and Montenegro attacked and defeated the Ottoman Army. Muslim civilians were murdered and forced to flee. Grey orchestrated a conference in which the Ottomans were forced to cede all but a small portion of their European possessions (the Treaty of London). When the Balkan Allies fought out over the spoils, the Ottomans retook Edirne and Western Thrace, Grey demanded that the Ottomans relinquish their gains; the Ottomans refused. Great Power politics stopped Britain and Russia from intervening. Greece had taken Aegean Islands close to the Anatolia shore. For reasons of security the Ottomans refused British demands that they relinquish them to Greece, threatening further war to retake those closest to Anatolia. Grey wanted military coercion to force the Ottomans to accept Greek retention of the Islands, but Germany opposed him, and Grey feared European war. Throughout the Balkan Wars, British public, press, and governmental sympathies were with the Balkan Christian nations. At every turn, Grey opposed the Ottomans. Greater sympathy for the plight of the Balkan Muslims would surely have been shown if the facts were known, but Grey refused to release damning consular reports to parliament and simply lied about the atrocities.