Baština (Jan 2016)
The politics of Bulgaria to war d Kosovo and Metohija during the First World War
Abstract
Being neutral at the beginning of the WWI, Bulgaria like its ally Austria-Hungary started manifesting expansionist politics in the Balkan afterwards. This fact had been supported by the Central Powers, since they realized the importance of Bulgarian participation in the war. The main condition for Bulgarian entering the war was Macedonian issue. In October 1915 Bulgaria declares a war against Serbia and joins the Central Powers. The situation in Serbia and Albania was not stable. Although it had proclaimed its neutrality, the territory of Albania was the battlefield. Claims toward Albania were requested by Italy, Austria-Hungary, France, Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria. Serbia was in great preparations for the war, and had great problems with Albanian population in Kosovo. They supported Austro-Hungarian politics in Kosovo and Metohija. Serbia managed in the first months of the war to resist the attacks of the Central Powers, but due to the German-Austrian offensive largely supported by the Bulgarian troops, was due to retreat. The territory of Kosovo was divided between Austrian and Bulgarian troops. The basic aim of Bulgaria was to overtake Macedonia and disconnect of Serbia from the area of Salonika. Nevertheless, by the division of Kosovo and Metohia itself, Bulgaria expressed its expansionistic claims. It confronted Austria-Hungary by establishing the administration in Pristina and Prizren. The target was Đakovica as well. Besides, Bulgaria wanted to make a breakthrough at the Adriatic coast via Albania. The dispute was resolved in a compromise manner. Bulgaria got administration in Pristina and Prizren, but retreated its troops from Elbasan and Đakovica. The mentioned dispute slowly loomed the rift in the alliance, and the Bulgarian defeat in the battle at Dobro Polje marked almost the end of the war. From that battle onwards Bulgaria, Austria-Hungary, Germany and Ottoman Empires were willing to conclude a truce and end the war finally. Finally, it may be noticed that life of Serbian population was much more difficult under Bulgarian occupation comparing to the one of Austria-Hungarian. A great deal of Srbs were captured and killed. Bulgarians destroyed all indicating to the Serbianism such as books, libraties wishing to crush Serbian people with the aim of bulgarization.
