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

Bulgaria during World War I
Prelude	South-western front Serbian Campaign, Macedonian Front	Romanian front • Outcome • Others	Important persons
Balkan Wars 1912–1913 First Balkan War 1913 Treaty of London Second Balkan War Treaty of Bucharest Treaty of Constantinople Neutrality 1914 Ottoman–Bulgarian alliance 1915 Negotiations of Bulgaria with the Central Powers and the Entente Bulgarian–German treaty Secret Bulgarian–German agreement Military convention between Germany, Austria-Hungary and Bulgaria Bulgarian–Ottoman convention Mobilization	Commanders  Bulgaria Nikola Zhekov • Kliment Boyadzhiev • Dimitar Geshov • Georgi Todorov • Ivan Lukov • Stefan Nerezov • Vladimir Vazov Entente:  Serbia: Radomir Putnik • Živojin Mišić • Stepa Stepanović • Petar Bojović • Pavle Jurišić Šturm;  France: Maurice Sarrail • Adolphe Guillaumat • Louis Franchet d'Espèrey;  United Kingdom: Bryan Mahon • George Milne;  Kingdom of Greece: Panagiotis Danglis Field Armies + Eleventh Army First Army Second Army Fourth Army Battles 1915 Morava Offensive • Ovče Pole Offensive • Kosovo Offensive (1915) • Battle of Krivolak 1916 First battle of Doiran • Battle of Florina (Lerin) • Struma operation • Monastir Offensive 1917 Second battle of Doiran • 2nd Crna Bend • Second battle of Monastir 1918 Battle of Skra-di-Legen • Battle of Dobro Pole • Third battle of Doiran	Commanders  Bulgaria Nikola Zhekov • Panteley Kiselov • Stefan Toshev • Todor Kantardzhiev • Ivan Kolev Entente:  Romania: Constantin Prezan • Alexandru Averescu;  Russia: Andrei Zayonchkovski • Vladimir Sakharov Field Armies Third Army Battles 1916 Battle of Turtucaia • Battle of Dobrich • First Cobadin • Flămânda Offensive • Second Cobadin • Battle of Bucharest Outcome 1918 Treaty of Brest-Litovsk • Armistice of Focșani • Treaty of Bucharest • Protocol of Berlin Outcome Armistice of Salonica Vladaya revolt Treaty of Neuilly-sur-Seine Others Bulgarian administration in Kosovo Anti-military propaganda	Ferdinand Vasil Radoslavov Aleksandar Malinov Aleksandar Stamboliyski Aleksandar Protogerov August von Mackensen Boris Drangov Vladimir Vazov Georgi Todorov (general) Ivan Kolev Kliment Boyadzhiev Dimitar Geshov Ivan Lukov Konstantin Zhostov Krastyu Zlatarev Nikola Zhekov Panteley Kiselov Stefan Toshev Stefan Nerezov Todor Kantardzhiev