. Battlefields of the World War, western and southern fronts; a study in military geography . but the reconquest of Adrianople by the Turksled to a division of territory which forced Bulgarian goods enroute downstream to the Bulgarian port of Dedeagach to crossthrough a small section of Turkey. The only other naturalchannel to the Mediterranean from Bulgarian lands was downthe Struma valley to the port of Kavala; but Greece in herturn had insisted on a boundary which should leave the lowercourse of the river and the port in her hands, thus compellingBulgarian commerce by this route to pass thr
. Battlefields of the World War, western and southern fronts; a study in military geography . but the reconquest of Adrianople by the Turksled to a division of territory which forced Bulgarian goods enroute downstream to the Bulgarian port of Dedeagach to crossthrough a small section of Turkey. The only other naturalchannel to the Mediterranean from Bulgarian lands was downthe Struma valley to the port of Kavala; but Greece in herturn had insisted on a boundary which should leave the lowercourse of the river and the port in her hands, thus compellingBulgarian commerce by this route to pass through Greek terri-tory. Finally, Serbia obtained possession of that section ofthe Morava-Yardar corridor which Bulgaria had coveted, leavingto the latter no part of the key to future power in the opening of the present war thus found Bulgaria with aserious geographical grievance against every one of her neigh-bors. With coast lines bordering on two seas, every bit of hercommerce, save only that with Russia, was forced to pass throughhostile lands. 582 BATTLEFIELD OF THE BALKANS. STRATEGIC POSITION 583 Here was a fertile field for German diplomatic effort, andBulgaria lent a willing ear to plans which promised immediateredress of past wrongs. Turkey was induced to return to Bul-garia the strip of land west of the lower Maritsa, thereby insur-ing to her a railway connection to her Mediterranean port lyingwholly within her own boundaries. As a further reward fordirect action against Serbia, Bulgaria should receive the covetedsection of the Morava-Vardar corridor, the conquest of whichwould be rendered easy by Teutonic co-operation from thenorth. It was a bargain in valleys. In return for free use ofthe upper Maritsa valley and assistance in effecting the conquestof the Morava valley, Bulgaria was to receive a part of the lowerMaritsa valley and a section of the Vardar valley. Germandiplomacy won, the geographic bargain was made, and from thatmoment there remained only t
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectworldwar19141918
