Negotiations of Bulgaria with the Central Powers and the Entente

The Negotiations of Bulgaria with the Central Powers and the Entente were attempts of the two belligerents in World War I, the Central Powers and the Entente to involve Bulgaria in the war on their side. They are also called The Bulgarian summer of 1915.

When the war broke out the country was in an unfavourable situation - the country had just suffered a national catastrophe following the Second Balkan War in which Serbia, Greece, Romania and the Ottoman Empire defeated Bulgaria (with the Bulgarian army being victorious) and took large territories populated mainly with Bulgarians. In August 1914, nearly a month after the war broke out the Bulgaria Prime-minister Vasil Radoslavov declared that Bulgaria would remain neutral. That, however, was only temporary as the Bulgarian government expected an opportune moment and favourable terms to enter the war and regain its lands. On 19 August, she signed an alliance with Turkey.

Bulgaria was important for both belligerents because of its strategic geo-political position on the Balkans and its strong army. If Bulgaria entered the war on the side of the Central Powers Serbia would have been defeated which could influence the still neutral Romania and Greece. If Bulgaria allied itself with the Entente it would have disrupted the links of Germany and Austria-Hungary with the Ottoman Empire and would have taken the straits opening a sea route to Russia. The Entente offered Bulgaria Eastern Thrace to the west of the line Midia-Enos and uncertain guarantees for Macedonia. However, Serbia and Greece were reluctant to make any concessions to Bulgaria.

The Central Powers offered Vardar Macedonia and eastern Serbia and in case Romania or Greece enter the war Southern Dobrudzha and Aegean Macedonia respectively. Germany also guaranteed a 500 million marks military loan. In September Bulgaria signed the Bulgaria-German treaty, Secret Bulgarian-German agreement, the Military convention between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria and the Bulgarian-Turkish convention.

References

• Илчев, И., България и Антантата през Първата световна война
• Porter, Ch. The Career of Theophile Delcasse. Wesport, Connecticut, 1975
• Churchill W.S. The World Crisis. New York. Charles Scribner Sons, 1949
• Стателова, Ел., История на България
• Влаховм Т., Отношения между България и Централните сили по време на войните 1912- 1918г
• Райчевски, Ст., Българите в световните хроники 1912-1919