1.  Why did Italy make war on Turkey in 1911?
 2.  Why did not Italy join in the attack on France?
 3.  What was Germany’s plan?
 4.  How is the English army different from others?
 5.  What reason had England for declaring war?
 6.  Had the German’s expected England to attack them?  Give reasons for
    your answer.
 7.  Why did the phrase “scrap of paper” make such a deep impression on
    the world?
 8.  Why did the war lords hate the British so deeply?

CHAPTER XIX

  Diplomacy and Kingly Ambition

Turkey throws in her lot with the central empires.—­The demands of Italy.—­She joins the Triple Entente.—­The retreat of the Russians.—­The Balkans again.—­Bulgaria’s bargaining.—­German princes on Balkan thrones.—­The central empires bid the highest for Bulgarian support.—­The attitude of Greece.—­Roumania’s hopes.

To return to the great war.  The diplomats of both sides made all haste to put pressure upon the governments of the countries which were not engaged in the struggle, in order to win them over.  Germany and Austria worked hard with Italy, with Turkey, and with Bulgaria.  The Turks were the first to plunge in.  The party headed by Enver Bey (the young minister of war) saw that a victory for Russia and her allies meant the final expulsion of the Turks from Europe.  Only in the victory of Germany and Austria did this faction see any hope for Turkey.  It was the latter part of October (1914) when Turkish warships, without any provocation, sailed into some Russian ports on the Black Sea and blazed away with their big guns.

Some of the older Turkish statesmen were terrified, and did their best to get the government at Constantinople to disclaim all responsibility for this act of their naval commanders.  The “Young Turks,” however, were all for war on the side of Germany.  What is more, Russia, always anxious for an excuse to seize Constantinople, would not allow the Turks to apologize for their act and keep out of trouble.  She declared war on Turkey, and was quickly followed by France and England.

Both sides now set to work on Italy.  It was plain that all the sympathies of the Italian people were with France and England.  The six grandsons of Garibaldi formed an Italian regiment and volunteered for fighting on the French lines.  Two of them were killed, and at their funerals in Rome, nearly all the inhabitants of the city turned out and showed plainly that they too would like to be fighting on the side of France.

You will remember that Italy wanted very much to gain the provinces of Trentino and Istria, with the cities of Trent, Trieste (tri es’te), Pola (po’lae), and Fiume (fe u’me), all inhabited by Italian people.  The possession of these counties and cities by Austria had been the greatest source of trouble between the two nations.  Italy now came out boldly, and demanded, as the price of her keeping out of the war, that Austria give to her this land inhabited by Italians.  Germany urged Austria to do this, and sent as her special ambassador, to keep Italy from joining her enemies, Prince von Bulow, whose wife was an Italian lady, and who was very popular with the Italian statesmen.