Chapter 42： Question of Bosnia and Herzegovina

After the outbreak in Ottoman Turkey, this attracted the attention of all surrounding countries. Because Ottoman Turkey still has a good territory in Europe, they all hope to carve up a piece of fat in Turkey.

In Vienna, the capital of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the discussion about the Turkish bourgeois revolution also aroused a discussion between Franz Joseph and his important ministers.

"The revolution that broke out by the Young Turkish Party is an opportunity for us now. Last year we prepared this plan. Now as long as we coordinate the countries, I believe they (Bosnia and Herzegovina) are very willing to join the empire." Aloys Foreign Minister Elenthal issued his own proposal.

Prime Minister Alois Elenthal also talked about the Russian news. "The Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alexander Isvolsky, on the day before the outbreak of the Turkish Revolution, proposed to discuss the mutual changes of the Berlin Treaty of 1878. Let us support Russia’s demand for Constantinople in exchange for our annexation of Bosnia. -Herzegovina and Novi Pazar."

"These Russians have just healed their wounds and are interested in Constantinople again. Aren't they afraid of another Russo-Japanese War?" Conrad Chief of Staff said with a smile.

"These Russians are so greedy. They have been thinking about Constantinople for more than a hundred years. Has Britain acquiesced to them?" Another important minister said his question.

"This is impossible. Until the last minute, the British will not allow this polar bear to have territory in the Mediterranean, and Constantinople is so important to Russia that we will agree with other countries and will not agree." Aloy Foreign Minister S. Elenthal refuted the remarks of the important minister.

For the present Austro-Hungarian. The Italian War of Independence in 1859 caused it to lose all non-Austrian historical territories in Italy. The Austro-Prussian War in 1866 excluded it from the German Confederation. It bordered Russia to the east, and Austria-Hungary could only seek a breakthrough in the Balkans. .

A series of riots against the Ottoman rule took place in the Balkans in the mid-1970s, and the Turks also adopted a violent and repressive attitude. Russian Tsar Alexander II hopes to intervene in the Ottoman Empire and seek to reach an agreement with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In the Budapest Convention of 1877, the two countries agreed that Russia would annex Bessarabia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire would show a benevolent and neutral attitude towards Russia in the war with Turkey. As compensation for this support, Russia agreed to the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Soon thereafter, the Russians declared war, and after some setbacks, the Turks relentlessly drove back to Istanbul within a few miles. The reason that prevented the Russians from driving the Turks out of Europe completely was that other great powers, especially Britain and Austro-Hungary, were willing to implement an earlier treaty, the "London Straits Convention" of 1841, which stipulated the Strait of Constantinople. It will be to close the access of warships during the war. This has the effect of putting the Russian fleet in the Black Sea, but if the Russian army relies on land to control the strait, it will be worthless.

After the victory of the war, the Russians immediately imposed the "Treaty of San Stefano" on the Ottomans. Part of the reason violated the promise of the "Budapest Convention" and declared that Bosnia and Herzegovina would be jointly occupied by the Russian and Austrian forces.

The Treaty of San Stefano was overthrown by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. According to Article 29, the Austro-Hungarian Empire obtained special rights in the province of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Novi Pazar in the Ottoman Empire. Article 25 states: "The province of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be occupied and managed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire", and continued: "The Austro-Hungarian Empire reserves the right to maintain its garrison and has military and trade routes throughout the region.

The separation of Montenegro from Serbia prevented the geographical and political alliance between these two countries that often cooperate closely. Austria’s occupation of Sanjak is also important because it provides a transit zone for the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which may expand to the port of Sharonika in the Aegean Sea in Macedonia controlled by Ottoman in the future. The Bosnians have split religiously between Catholics and Orthodox Christians.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire exercised its power, resolutely controlled Bosnia and Herzegovina, and together with the Ottoman Empire occupied Sanjak in Novi Pazar. The "Berlin Treaty" allowed Austria to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina alone, but did not specify the final disposal of the provinces. But in name it still belongs to the Ottoman Empire.

But the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will cause conflicts between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. In 1903, the Serbian coup introduced a new pro-Russian Karatylesevich dynasty and shifted political power to the elements that broadened attention to Bosnia~www.novelhall .com~ These Serbs want to take over Novi Pazar and Sanjak in Bosnia-Herzegovina from the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The relationship between Serbia and Austria-Hungary gradually deteriorated.

However, Russia suffered military humiliation in the Russo-Japanese War of 1905 and the internal disturbances that followed, which greatly reduced its ability to support Serbia. Last year, Austria-Hungary Foreign Minister Alois Elenthal began to formulate a plan to consolidate Austria-Hungary's position in Serbia by annexing Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Now Austria-Hungary's attempt to annex Bosnia and Herzegovina has caused dissatisfaction with Serbia, because Austria-Hungary totally refused to give Serbia, Novi Pazar and Sanjak regions.

In Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, King Peter Karageorovic called his ministers to discuss this matter, which is very detrimental to the kingdom.

"Vienna does not agree with our request." The Foreign Minister said this unpleasant remark.

"We Serbs live in those two places. These Austrians are too ignorant of our requirements." The military representative, General Putnik, expressed his own voice.

"Yes, the Austrians must face our reasonable demands." Colonel Dragutin, another intelligence chief, also agreed with the military's words.

"It's better to seek Russian help," said a serious minister.

"Now that Russia has not recovered from the trauma of the last (Russian-Japanese) war, will it help us? And the Russians have their own interests, and we may not be afraid of the Austrians." Dragutin gave his own advice.

After intense discussions, Serbia made a decision. If Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina and cannot give Novi Pazar and Sanjak to Serbia, then Serbia will mobilize the army to express its determination.