oyalties to Greeks, Yugoslavs, and Bulgarians, the land eventually
reverted to Yugoslavia during World War II. As an issue, however, it
still burns in the minds of the Bulgarians. The Macedonian question has
been aptly referred to as "that eternal Balkan sore spot of rival
nationalism."

WORLD WAR I

As was the case in the Balkan wars, Bulgaria's primary motivation for
engagement in World War I was irredentism. Again the country was
determined to regain the two lands that had escaped her grasp in the
past: Macedonia and Thrace. Although Macedonia was prized for political
and social reasons, Thrace represented a strategically more significant
objective. In order to develop foreign trade, Bulgaria required an
outlet to the sea; Thrace represented that outlet.

The domestic situation in the country before World War I was mixed.
Although Bulgaria's army had been demobilized at the end of the Second
Balkan War (1913) and economic conditions were rapidly improving, the
mood of the monarchy and the middle class was one of vindictiveness and
retaliation against those countries that had stripped Bulgaria of its
territories. The country became divided between those who wanted closer
relations with Russia and the Triple Entente and those who preferred an
alliance with the Central Powers. As the war neared, the struggle
between these camps intensified.

Bulgaria, of all the Balkan states, was the only one to join the Central
Powers, led by Germany and Austria, in World War I. It was deeply ironic
that Bulgaria chose to side with her former enemy and oppressor, Turkey,
and against her former friend and protector, Russia. Again, the issue
for Bulgaria was the Macedonian question. Serbia and Greece, which had
triumphed over Bulgaria in the Second Balkan War, were allied with the
entente powers. Bulgaria chose to fight against these enemies in order
to regain Macedonia. Although the entente powers hoped to woo Bulgaria
to their side, they refused--because of Serb and Greek pressures--to
cede Macedonia to Bulgaria. The Central Powers, on the other hand, who
were already at war with Serbia, were willing to promise Macedonia to
the Bulgarians in exchange for their collaboration.

In the early stages of the war Germany won victories in France and on
the eastern front. Although the government then ruling Bulgaria was
already inclined to join the Central Powers, these early successes made
German promises even more appealing. In August