Greek Struggle for Macedonia - Revision history

Irlandos: /* External links */

2010-05-31T21:01:50Z

External links

Irlandos at 09:38, May 11, 2007

2007-05-11T09:38:28Z

Irlandos: /* Consequences */

2006-06-01T19:16:11Z

Consequences

Irlandos: /* Causes */

2006-01-07T19:45:09Z

Causes

Irlandos: /* Causes */

2006-01-07T19:44:46Z

Causes

Irlandos: /* Causes */

2006-01-07T19:42:22Z

Causes

Irlandos: /* Official Greek Involvement */

2006-01-07T19:39:06Z

Official Greek Involvement

Irlandos: /* Early Stage */

2006-01-07T19:29:44Z

Early Stage

Irlandos at 14:07, January 6, 2006

2006-01-06T14:07:49Z

New page

The '''Greek Struggle for Macedonia''' [[1904]]-[[1908]] (in [[Greek language|Greek language]]: "Μακεδονικός Αγώνας", "Macedonian Struggle") is how the Greeks describe their military conflicts against Bulgaria and Turkey in the area of [[Macedonia]] during the first decade of the [[20th century]].

==Causes==

The defeat of Greece in the [[Greco-Turkish War of 1897]] was a painful blow that appalled Greeks. The nationalist organisation "Ethniki Etairia," considered to be responsible for the outbreak of the war, dissolved under the pressure of Prime Minister Theotokis. But the young officers that had established the organisation did not lose contact. They conferred with each other over the situation in Macedonia where the Bulgarians had made intense and systematic interventions, with the support of the Bulgarian Exarchate, especially for the foundation of schools.

Since [[1899]], Bulgarian guerrillas in Macedonia (the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization, commonly known by the abreviation [[VMRO]]) turned against Turkish authorities with the slogan "autonomy for Macedonia". The guerrillas agitated under the auspices of officers of the Bulgarian army, and purported to be protectors of all Christians in the area. For this reason they initially they did not bother Greece. But gradually, their real intentions became clear after the assassinations of members of pro-Greek and pro-Serbian parties.

The situation became heated in Macedonia and started to affect Greek, Serbian and European public opinion. In April [[1903]], a group of anarchists with some assistance from the VMRO blew up the French ship "Guadalquivir" and the Ottoman Bank in the harbour of [[Thessaloniki]]. In August [[1903]], the Bulgarian VMRO managed to organise an uprising (the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising) in [[Macedonia]] and the [[Adrianople]] Vilayet. The insurrection proved to be unsuccessful and was eventually suppressed by the Ottomans with the subsequent destruction of many villages and the devastation of large areas in Western Macedonia and around Kirk-Klisse near [[Adrianople]].

In [[Athens]], nationalist organisations organised demonstrations against Bulgaria, but the official Greek State, numbed from the defeat of [[1897]] hesitated over what to do.

==Early Stage==

From [[1900]] onwards, the danger of Bulgarian control had upset the Greeks of Southwest Macedonia. The Bishop of [[Kastoria]], [[Germanos Karavangelis]] and the ambassador of Greece in Monastiri (now Bitola), [[Ion Dragoumis]], realised that it was time to act in a more efficient way and started organising Greek opposition.

As Ion Dragoumis wrote in his calendar ‘‘I am thinking how these communities of Greece outside of the Greek Kingdom can affiliate in our state. Why wait their liberation only from Greece? Let them work as Greece didn’t exist and then she will help them.’’

While Dragoumis concerned himself with the financial organisation of the efforts, Bishop Germanos animated the Greek population and formed committees promoting the Greek idea taking advantage of the internal disputes in VMRO. He also organized the first Greek guerrilla troops, composed of locals. They labelled themselves "the Macedonomachoi" (the Fighters for Macedonia) and were immortalized by the popular greek writer Penelope Delta in her bestselling novel "Ta Mystika tou Valtou" (The Secrets of the Swamp).

==Official Greek Involvement==

The official Greek State became anxious not only because of the Bulgarian penetration in Macedonia, but also due to the Serbian interest, which was concentrated mainly in Skopje and Bitola area. The rioting in Macedonia, the atrocities of Bulgarian guerrilla troops against locals who considered themselves as Greeks and especially the death of [[Pavlos Melas]] in [[1904]] (he was the first Greek officer to enter Macedonia with guerrillas) caused intense nationalistic feelings in Greece. This led to the decision to send more guerrilla troops in order to thwart Bulgarian efforts to entice all of the Slavic speaking majority population of Macedonia with their propaganda (not only the exarchists but also the patriarchists,).

The Greek Embassy in [[Thessaloniki]] became the centre of the struggle, coordinating the guerrilla troops, distributing of military material and nursing wounded. Fierce conflicts between the Greeks and Bulgarians started in the area of [[Kastoria]], in the Gianitsa Lake and elsewhere; both parties committed cruel crimes at points. The greatest bloodshed was the massacre in Bulgarian village Zagorichani in Kastoria district in 1905 when was executed 79 Bulgarian inhabitants.

The guerilla groups were also hunted by the Turkish Army. These conflicts ended after the revolution of "Young Turks" in July, [[1908]], as they promised to respect all ethnicities and religions and generally to provide a constitution.

==Consequences==

The success of Greek efforts in Macedonia was an experience that gave confidence to the country. It helped develop an intention to annex areas with Greek population and in general establish. Greek presence in Macedonia. After the [[Balkan Wars]] the part of Macedonia ceded to Greece was, more or less, the area that they controlled during the conflicts with the Bulgarians from [[1904]] to [[1908]]

==See also==

*[[History of Modern Greece]]
*[[Macedonia]]
*[[Macedon]]

==External links==

* [http://www.ime.gr/chronos/en/ Official Site For Hellenic History]`
* [http://www.culture.gr/4/42/421/42103/42103a/e42103a1.html Macedonian Struggle Museum]
* [http://www.macedonian-heritage.gr An on-line review on Macedonian affairs,history and culture]
* [http://knigite.abv.bg/obm2/14.html Military Greek Propaganda in Macedonia 1901-1903 (in Bulgarian) ]
* [http://knigite.abv.bg/obm2/15.html The Achievement of Pavlos Melas (in Bulgarian) ]
* [http://knigite.abv.bg/obm2/17.html Military Greek Propaganda in Macedonia in 1904 (in Bulgarian) ]
* [http://knigite.abv.bg/obm2/16a.html The Struggle in the Swamp (in Bulgarian) ]
* [http://knigite.abv.bg/obm2/18.html Military Greek Propaganda in Macedonia in 1905 (in Bulgarian) ]
* [http://knigite.abv.bg/obm2/19.html Military Greek Propaganda in Macedonia in 1906 (in Bulgarian) ]

[[Category:History of Greece]]

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:01, May 31, 2010
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	[[Category:History of Greece]]		[[Category:History of Greece]]
		+	[[Category:History of Macedonia]]

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-The '''Greek Struggle for Macedonia''' [[1904]]-[[1908]] (in [[Greek language|Greek language]]: "Μακεδονικός Αγώνας", "Macedonian Struggle") is how the Greeks describe their military conflicts against Bulgaria and Turkey in the area of [[Macedonia]] during the first decade of the [[20th century]].
+The '''Greek Struggle for Macedonia''' [[1904]]-[[1908]] (in [[Greek language|Greek language]]: "Μακεδονικός Αγώνας", "Macedonian Struggle") is how the [[Greeks]] describe their military conflicts against Bulgaria and Turkey in the area of [[Macedonia]] during the first decade of the [[20th century]].
 ==Causes==
@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 Since [[1899]], Bulgarian guerrillas in Macedonia (the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization, commonly known by the abreviation [[VMRO]]) turned against Turkish authorities with the slogan "autonomy for Macedonia". The guerrillas agitated under the auspices of officers of the Bulgarian army, and purported to be protectors of all Christians in the area. For this reason they initially did not bother Greece. But gradually, their real intentions became clear after the assassinations of members of pro-Greek and pro-Serbian parties.
-The situation became heated in Macedonia and started to affect Greek, Serbian and European public opinion. In April [[1903]], a group of anarchists with some assistance from the VMRO blew up the French ship "Guadalquivir" and the Ottoman Bank in the harbour of [[Thessaloniki]]. In August [[1903]], the Bulgarian VMRO managed to organise an uprising (the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising) in [[Macedonia]] and the [[Adrianople]] Vilayet. The insurrection proved to be unsuccessful and was eventually suppressed by the Ottomans with the subsequent destruction of many villages and the devastation of large areas in Western Macedonia and around Kirk-Kilisse near [[Adrianople]].
+The situation became heated in Macedonia and started to affect Greek, Serbian and European public opinion. In April [[1903]], a group of anarchists with some assistance from the VMRO blew up the French ship "Guadalquivir" and the Ottoman Bank in the harbour of [[Thessaloniki]]. On [[July 20]] (OS), [[1903]], the Bulgarian VMRO managed to organise an uprising (the Iliden-Preobrazhenie Uprising) in [[Macedonia]] and the [[Adrianople]] Vilayet. The insurrection proved to be unsuccessful and was eventually suppressed by the Ottomans with the subsequent destruction of many villages and the devastation of large areas in Western Macedonia and around Kirk-Kilisse near [[Adrianople]].
 In [[Athens]], nationalist organisations organised demonstrations against Bulgaria, but the official Greek State, numbed from the defeat of [[1897]] hesitated over what to do.

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Causes==
-The defeat of Greece in the [[Greco-Turkish War of 1897]] was a painful blow that appalled Greeks. The nationalist organisation "Ethniki Etairia," considered to be responsible for the outbreak of the war,  dissolved under the pressure of Prime Minister [[georgios Theotokis]]. But the young officers that had established the organisation did not lose contact. They conferred with each other over the situation in Macedonia where the Bulgarians had made intense and systematic interventions, with the support of the Bulgarian Exarchate, especially for the foundation of schools.
+The defeat of Greece in the [[Greco-Turkish War of 1897]] was a painful blow that appalled Greeks. The nationalist organisation "Ethniki Etairia," considered to be responsible for the outbreak of the war,  dissolved under the pressure of Prime Minister [[Georgios Theotokis]]. But the young officers that had established the organisation did not lose contact. They conferred with each other over the situation in Macedonia where the Bulgarians had made intense and systematic interventions, with the support of the Bulgarian Exarchate, especially for the foundation of schools.
 Since [[1899]], Bulgarian guerrillas in Macedonia (the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization, commonly known by the abreviation [[VMRO]]) turned against Turkish authorities with the slogan "autonomy for Macedonia". The guerrillas agitated under the auspices of officers of the Bulgarian army, and purported to be protectors of all Christians in the area. For this reason they initially did not bother Greece. But gradually, their real intentions became clear after the assassinations of members of pro-Greek and pro-Serbian parties.

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ==Causes==
-The defeat of Greece in the [[Greco-Turkish War of 1897]] was a painful blow that appalled Greeks. The nationalist organisation "Ethniki Etairia," considered to be responsible for the outbreak of the war,  dissolved under the pressure of Prime Minister Theotokis. But the young officers that had established the organisation did not lose contact. They conferred with each other over the situation in Macedonia where the Bulgarians had made intense and systematic interventions, with the support of the Bulgarian Exarchate, especially for the foundation of schools.
+The defeat of Greece in the [[Greco-Turkish War of 1897]] was a painful blow that appalled Greeks. The nationalist organisation "Ethniki Etairia," considered to be responsible for the outbreak of the war,  dissolved under the pressure of Prime Minister [[georgios Theotokis]]. But the young officers that had established the organisation did not lose contact. They conferred with each other over the situation in Macedonia where the Bulgarians had made intense and systematic interventions, with the support of the Bulgarian Exarchate, especially for the foundation of schools.
 Since [[1899]], Bulgarian guerrillas in Macedonia (the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization, commonly known by the abreviation [[VMRO]]) turned against Turkish authorities with the slogan "autonomy for Macedonia". The guerrillas agitated under the auspices of officers of the Bulgarian army, and purported to be protectors of all Christians in the area. For this reason they initially did not bother Greece. But gradually, their real intentions became clear after the assassinations of members of pro-Greek and pro-Serbian parties.

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 ==Consequences==
-The success of Greek efforts in Macedonia was an experience that gave confidence to the country. It helped develop an intention to annex areas with Greek population and in general establish. Greek presence in Macedonia. After the [[Balkan Wars]] the part of Macedonia ceded to Greece was, more or less, the area that they controlled during the conflicts with the Bulgarians from [[1904]] to [[1908]]
+The success of Greek efforts in Macedonia was an experience that gave confidence to the country. It helped develop an intention to annex areas with Greek population and in general establish Greek presence in Macedonia. After the [[Balkan Wars]] the part of Macedonia ceded to Greece was, more or less, the area that they controlled during the conflicts with the Bulgarians from [[1904]] to [[1908]]
 ==See also==

@@ Line 26: / Line 26: @@
 The official Greek State became anxious not only because of the Bulgarian penetration in Macedonia, but also due to the Serbian interest, which was concentrated mainly in Skopje and Bitola area. The rioting in Macedonia, the atrocities of Bulgarian guerrilla troops against locals who considered themselves as Greeks and especially the death of [[Pavlos Melas]] in [[1904]] (he was the first Greek officer to enter Macedonia with guerrillas) caused intense nationalistic feelings in Greece. This led to the decision to send more guerrilla troops in order to thwart Bulgarian efforts to entice all of the Slavic speaking majority population of Macedonia with their propaganda (not only the exarchists but also the patriarchists,).
-The Greek Embassy in [[Thessaloniki]] became the centre of the struggle, coordinating the guerrilla troops, distributing of military material and nursing wounded. Fierce conflicts between the Greeks and Bulgarians started in the area of [[Kastoria]], in the Gianitsa Lake and elsewhere; both parties committed cruel crimes at points. The greatest bloodshed was the massacre in Bulgarian village Zagorichani in Kastoria district in 1905 when was executed 79 Bulgarian inhabitants.
+The Greek Embassy in [[Thessaloniki]] became the centre of the struggle, coordinating the guerrilla troops, distributing of military material and nursing wounded. Fierce conflicts between the Greeks and Bulgarians started in the area of [[Kastoria]], in the Gianitsa Lake and elsewhere; both parties committed cruel crimes at points. The greatest bloodshed was in the village Vasiliada (Zagoritsani) in [[Kastoria prefecture|Kastoria district]], in 1905, where some 80 persons died, mostly Bulgarians.
 The guerilla groups were also hunted by the Turkish Army. These conflicts ended after the revolution of "Young Turks" in July, [[1908]], as they promised to respect all ethnicities and religions and generally to provide a constitution.

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 As Ion Dragoumis wrote in his calendar ‘‘I am thinking how these communities of Greece outside of the Greek Kingdom can affiliate in our state. Why wait their liberation only from Greece? Let them work as Greece didn’t exist and then she will help them.’’
-While Dragoumis concerned himself with the financial organisation of the efforts, Bishop Germanos animated the Greek population and formed committees promoting the Greek idea taking advantage of the internal disputes in VMRO. He also organized the first Greek guerrilla troops, composed of locals.  They labelled themselves "the Macedonomachoi" (the Fighters for Macedonia) and were immortalized by the popular greek writer Penelope Delta in her bestselling novel "Ta Mystika tou Valtou" (The Secrets of the Swamp).
+While Dragoumis concerned himself with the financial organisation of the efforts, Bishop Germanos animated the Greek population and formed committees promoting the Greek idea taking advantage of the internal disputes in VMRO. He also organized the first Greek guerrilla troops, composed of locals.  They labelled themselves "the Macedonomachoi" (the Fighters for Macedonia) and were immortalized by the popular Greek writer [[Penelope Delta]] in her bestselling novel "Ta Mystika tou Valtou" (The Secrets of the Swamp).
 ==Official Greek Involvement==