With the map as it had been before the war of 1912, there was one little strip of territory, called the Sanjak of Novibazar, between Serbia and Montenegro, which connected Turkey with Austria.  To be sure, this country was inhabited almost entirely by Serbians, but so long as it was under the military control of Austria and Turkey, German railway trains bound for the east could traverse it.  Now Serbia and Montenegro proposed to divide this country up between themselves.  Serbia, by gaining her seaport on the Adriatic, could send her trade upon the water to find new markets in Italy, Spain, and France.

[Illustration:  Durazzo]

The Italians had always wanted to control the Adriatic Sea.  They longed for the time when the cities of Trieste and Pola should be turned over to them by Austria.  The cities of Durazzo (du rat’zo) and Avlona on the Albanian coast were inhabited by many Italians, and Italy had always cherished the hope that they might belong to her.  Therefore, the Italians did not take kindly to the Serbian program of seizing this coast.  At any rate, as soon as the four little countries announced their intention of dividing up Turkey in Europe among themselves, Austria, Germany, and Italy raised a great clamor.

Another meeting of representatives of the great powers was held, and once more the Germans were able to carry their point.  Instead of allowing the four little countries to divide up the conquered land between them, the powers made a fifth small country, the kingdom of Albania, and brought down from Germany a little prince to rule over these wild mountaineers.  Notice that the Albanians were not consulted.  The great powers simply took a map, drew a certain line on it and said, “This shall be the kingdom of Albania, and its king shall be Prince William of Wied.”  Again we have a king-made map with the usual trail of grievances.

This arrangement robbed Montenegro of Scutari, robbed Serbia of its seaport on the Adriatic, and robbed Greece of the country west of Janina (ya ni’na).  France and Russia did not like this program, but they did not feel like fighting the Triple Alliance to prevent its being put into effect.

[Map:  Changes as a Result of the Two Balkan Wars 1912-13]

The three little countries, separated from a great part of their new territory, now turned to Bulgaria, and, practically, said to her, “Since we have been robbed of Albania, we will have to divide up all over again.  You must give us part of your plunder in order to ’make it square.’” Now was the time for the ancient ill-feeling between the Bulgarians and their neighbors to show itself.  In reply to this invitation, Bulgaria said, in so many words, “Not a bit of it.  Our armies bore the brunt of the fight.  It was really we who conquered Turkey.  Your little armies had a very insignificant part in the war.  If you want any more land, we dare you to come and take it.”  And the Bulgarians made a treacherous night attack on their recent allies, which brought a declaration of war from the three little nations.