Twenty Years of Balkan TangleDurham, M. E. (Mary Edith)
History
Twenty Years of Balkan Tangle
Durham, M. E. (Mary Edith)
Balkan Peninsula -- Description and travel; Balkan Peninsula -- History; Eastern question (Balkan)
We learn now, from a report by Gruitch, Serbian Minister in London,
September 8, 1911, to the Serbian Foreign Office, that the date was
known to others as well. Speaking of the agreement about Morocco, he
says: "The agreement has one result, that war will be postponed
three or four years. . . . Both France and her allies are of opinion
that the war--even at the expense of great sacrifice, must be
postponed to a later time, that it to say, until the year 1914-15"
(see Bogitchevitch, xi). No wonder that Gavrilovitch and young
Cambon approved of my peace policy, and that Yougourieff was
emphatic.
I went to General Yanko Vukotitch's house. Rakia was flowing. He,
madame, his secretary, and others were in high feather. Yanko
explained the plan of campaign to me. He was to lead the main
division to Prizren. The two other divisions under Brigadier
Boshkovitch and General Martinovitch, were to attack Scutari, and,
having taken it, to join the triumphant Yanko at Prizren. No mention
was made of when the other Balkan States were to come in. Bulgarian
support was certain. Madame Yanko begged me to go with her husband
and photograph his entry into Prizren.
The whole campaign, it appeared, was expected only to last a few
weeks, and only 150 beds had been made ready at the hospital. The
Montenegrins honestly believed that theirs was the finest army for
its size in Europe.
General Martinovitch told me to go off to Podgoritza if I wanted to
see the first shot fired. When I arrived there on October 6th all
was ready and waiting. Another proof that the "four days'
mobilization" tale is an error.
King Nikola had made up his outstanding quarrel with his relatives,
and the Royal Voyvodas, Marko, Sharko, Bozho, and Gjuro all arrived.
On the night of the 8th all sang: "Let me see Prizren!"
There was wild excitement. No one mentioned the Serbs. I asked,
"What is the Serb army like?" They roared with laughter. "Oni
chuvahjuf svinje Gospodjitza!" (They are swineherds, lady!) Next
morning at 8 a.m. Prince Petar fired a gun into a Turkish camp
across the frontier.
The tale of the war has already been told. Here only a few
significant facts need telling.
Montenegro expected by rushing the first into war to occupy all the
coveted districts, including Prizren, before Serbia was ready.
Bulgaria would beat back the Turks, and Ferdinand and Nikita share
the bulk of the peninsula. The Montenegrins recked nothing of the
Serbs, but they miserably miscalculated. The Serbs reached Prizren
before they did.
It is possible that Bulgaria and Montenegro, in fact, forced on the
war. Both knew they would gain nothing by waiting for Russia. And if
two of the Balkan States insisted on war the other two were bound to
come in.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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