ance may be considered the gradual approachment
between France and Russia.

In one other part of the world Russia's interest was very strong and
that was in the Far East. Here it clashed with equally strong or
even stronger interests which England and Japan had and it took many
years before these three powers finally arrived at an understanding
concerning their several spheres of interest in the Far East.

Immediately following Russia's participation in asking reforms of
Turkey for its Balkan dependencies Pan-Slavism increased rapidly and
greatly in Russia. One of the most peculiar features of this
movement is the fact that the Russian Government suppressed with all
the power at its command and with all the severity within its
knowledge this movement as far as it affected internal affairs, but
supported it just as strongly as far as it affected the affairs of
other countries. The growth of Pan-Slavism finally resulted in
April, 1877, in Russia's declaration of war against Turkey.

In this war Russia was victorious, but only through the support
which it received from Rumania, Serbia, Bulgaria, and Montenegro. In
spite of repeated appeals on the part of Turkey to the other
European powers these did not step in until Turkey was almost
threatened with entire elimination. Then a conference of the
European powers was called at Berlin and resulted in July, 1878, in
the Treaty of Berlin which took the place of a treaty previously
arranged between Russia and Turkey in March, 1878, at San Stefano.
The Treaty of Berlin gave to Russia certain small parts of Turkey,
but successfully reduced the excessively strong influence over
Balkan affairs which Russia had attempted to gain for itself in the
Treaty of San Stefano.

In spite of the difficulties between Austria and Russia, of which we
have spoken, the two countries had arrived, previous to the outbreak
of the Russo-Turkish War, at an understanding according to which
Austria maintained a friendly neutrality toward Russia during the
war, in consideration of which Russia permitted Austria's occupation
of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The following years are again marked by internal difficulties
resulting in a reign of terrorism and in a period of reactionary
government which exceed almost anything in Russia's previous
history. It found its culmination in the successful assassination of
Czar Alexander II on March 13, 1881. He was succeeded by his son
Alexander III under whose rule th