Baština (Jan 2015)
Situation in old Serbia during Russo-Japanese war
Abstract
Great powers saw the area of Old Serbia at the end of the 19th and at the beginning of the 20th century as a suitable field for their objectives accomplishing. The most interested for the events at this area were Russia and Austria-Hungary. Although these two adversaries signed mutually two contracts: 1897 and 1903 on the status quo preservation in the Balkan, Austria-Hungary was waiting for the right moment to invade this area. At the beginning of 1904 Russian influence was weaken due to the war which it had entered with Japan. The defeat it experienced and revolutionary movement spreading over Russia enabled Austria-Hungary to reinforce its position in the Balkan and Old Serbia in general. In order to accomplish its objectives, it found a suitable instrument in Albanian population, who reinforced the oppression against Serbian population. For only two years, from September 1904 to September 1906, there were 621 murders, 53 violations over Serbian girls and women, 135 cases of violent transfer into Islam, and blackmails which had been executed were assessed to 7.000 liras or 161.000 dinars. Due to general insecurity and life deterioration 1.628 people were forced to run away in Montenegro or Serbia. Austria-Hungary made a great use of the Russian business in the Far Eastusing different methods. Money and arms sending, bribery of Albanians including rumour spreading via their friars in the field are some of examples of the proven tactics Austria-Hungary were using. Albanians considered Russia as the main culprit for reforms implementation, which they had opposed severely. Thus, they made a great use of each opportunity to get revenge on Serbs, who remained without stronger protection of Russia, which they needed a lot. Situation in the Far East and the Russian defeat in the war with Japan, although it does not indicate a direct connection with Serbs, had indirect consequences on the position and suffering of Serbian people in Old Serbia.
