The control of the Adriatic Sea had been a matter of jealousy between the Italians and Austrians even during the years when they were partners in the Triple Alliance.  Even before Italy entered the war on the side of France and England, her government, fearing the Austrians, had sent Italian troops to seize Avlona.  The Prince of Albania, finding that he was not wanted, had deserted that country, and there had been no government at all there since the outbreak of the great war.  However, the presence of this Italian garrison prevented the forces of the central powers from advancing southward along the Adriatic coast.

Gradually, France and England increased their forces at Salonika.  The gallant defender of Verdun, General Sarrail, was sent to command the joint army.  During the summer of 1916, Italians came there to join the French and British.  A hundred thousand hardy young veterans, survivors of the Serbian army, picked up by allied war ships on the coast of Albania, were refitted and carried by ship around Greece to Salonika.  Here they joined General Sarrail’s army, rested and refreshed, and frantic for revenge on the Germans and Bulgars.  Several thousands of the Greek troops, following the leadership of Venizelos, deserted the king and joined the allies.

Meanwhile, in Athens one prime minister after another tried to steer the ship of state.  The people of Greece were in a turmoil.  The great majority of them were warm friends of France and England—­all of them hated the Turks.  The pro-German acts of the king, however, provoked the French and English to such an extent that they frequently had to interfere in Athens.  The Greek people resented this interference and on one or two occasions fights broke out when allied sailors marched through the streets of the capital.  Matters reached a climax in June, 1917.  The governments of France, England, and Italy felt that they could stand the treacherous conduct of King Constantine no longer.  They knew that he was assisting Germany in every possible way.  They knew that their camp was full of spies who were reporting all their movements to the Bulgarians.  They felt that at the first chance he would order his army to attack Sarrail in the rear.  They finally sent an ultimatum to him ordering him to give up the throne to his second son.  The oldest son, the crown prince, having been educated in Germany and sharing King Constantine’s pro-German sentiments, was barred from succeeding his father.  This seemed a high-handed thing to do but there was no other way out of a difficult situation.  Constantine had allowed his sympathies with his wife’s brother to prevent his country from carrying out her solemn treaty; had ruled like an absolute monarch; had plotted with all his power for the overthrow of Russia, France, and England, the three countries which had won Greece its independence in the first place and which still desired its people to have the right to rule themselves.