On October 8, 1912, the Balkan War begins. The military conflict was fought between the alliance of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece and Montenegro against the Ottoman Empire. Bulgarian casualties in the war numbered 66,000 officers and soldiers and 100,000 wounded.
The specific occasion for the war was the massacres of the Bulgarian population in Shtip in November 1911 and in Kochani in July 1912, BNT recalls.
In response to the cruelties of the Ottoman authorities, the governments of Bulgaria, Greece, Serbia and Montenegro addressed to the High Gate a request for administrative reforms in the European borders of the empire. After the subsequent categorical refusal on her part, they proceed to a general mobilization of their troops.
Montenegro sets the start of the hostilities. At the end of September 1912, her troops invaded northern Albania. This became the reason for the termination of diplomatic relations between the Ottoman Empire and the four Balkan governments. In turn, on October 5 of the same year, Bulgaria and Greece declared war on Turkey. On October 7, Serbia joined them. At the start of the war, the Balkan Allies had a total of 645,000 troops and 1,412 guns, while the Ottoman Empire had 420,000 men and 930 guns.
The Ottoman Empire lost the war and, according to the London Peace Treaty (1913), was forced to cede the territories west of the Midian (Black Sea) line — Enos (White Sea).
The war of the Balkan Union against the Ottoman Empire was a natural culmination of the national liberation wars of the Balkan nations. Bulgarian casualties in the war numbered 66,000 officers and soldiers and 100,000 wounded.
Tsar Ferdinand's manifesto declaring the Balkan War is dated October 5, 1912.
During my reign 25 years ago, I always sought through peaceful efforts the culture, progress, happiness and glory of Bulgaria, and it is precisely in this direction that I would like it to walk steadily. Providence, however, decreed otherwise. The time has come when the Bulgarian people must give up peaceful prosperity and resort to arms to solve a major problem. On the other hand, the Rila and the Rhodopes, our brothers by blood and religion, to this day, thirty-five years after our Liberation, have not been fortunate enough to obtain a tolerable human life. All efforts to achieve this goal, both on the part of the Great Powers and the various Bulgarian governments, failed to create conditions allowing Christians to enjoy the rights and freedoms recognized by all human beings.
The tears of the Balkan slave, the groans of millions of Christians could not move our hearts, their relatives of the same faith, indebted for their freedom and peaceful life to the great Christian liberator. And the Bulgarian nation remembers the prophetic words of the Tsar Liberator. “The sacred work must be completed”.
Our love of peace is exhausted. To help the Christian population in Turkey, we have no other means left but arms. We see that there is no other way to secure his life and property. Anarchy in the Turkish provinces threatens even our lives. After the massacres in Istib (Shtip) and Kochani, instead of providing justice and satisfaction to the victims, as we demanded, the Turkish government ordered the mobilization of its armed forces.
Our patience was severely tested. The humane feelings of Christians impose the sacred duty of helping their brethren threatened with destruction. The honor and dignity of Bulgaria absolutely demand that the sons of the people, ready to defend the Motherland, be summoned under the flags. Our work is just, great and holy.
With trust in God and faith in His patronage and support, I announce to the nation that the war for the human rights of Christians in Turkey has been declared. I order the brave Bulgarian army to advance into Turkish territory.
With the same goal, side by side with us, the armies of the Balkan countries allied with Bulgaria will fight against the common enemy: Serbia, Greece and Montenegro. And in this struggle of the Cross and the Crescent, of freedom against tyranny, we will have the support of all those who value justice and progress.
Let the brave Bulgarian soldier, inspired by these sympathies, remember the heroic deeds of his fathers and grandfathers, as well as the bravery of the Russian liberators, and let him fly from victory to victory.
Go ahead! God is with us!”