A German postcard welcoming the entry of Bulgaria into the war and showing Bulgaria's Tsar Ferdinand.In, the fought alongside the as a member of the and signed in 1915 the initially secret. In the aftermath of its defeat and territorial losses in the Balkan Wars Bulgaria felt betrayed and turned against its former ally Russia.
German-Bulgarian Relations in the Inter-war Period: a Case of Monetary, Economic and Political Dependence By Vera Asenova Submitted to Central European University Department of International Relations and European Studies In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Relations and European Studies Supervisor. German-Bulgarian Relations in the Inter-war Period: a Case of Monetary, Economic and Political Dependence By Vera Asenova Submitted to Central European University Department of International Relations and European Studies In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of International Relations and European Studies Supervisor.
Bulgaria in 1914-15 was neutral. In 1915 Germany and Austria realized they needed Bulgaria's help in order to defeat Serbia militarily thereby opening supply lines from Germany to Turkey and bolstering the Eastern Front against Russia. In return for war, Bulgaria insisted on major territorial gains, especially Macedonia, which Austria was reluctant to grant until Berlin insisted. Bulgaria also negotiated with the Allies, who offered less generous terms.
In 1915 the government of liberal prime minister therefore aligned Bulgaria with the Central Powers even though this meant becoming an ally of the Ottomans, Bulgaria's traditional political and religious enemy. While Bulgaria now had no land claims against the Ottomans, it resented Serbia, Greece and Romania (allies of Britain and France) for seizing lands with majority Bulgarian population. Bulgaria signed an alliance with Germany and Austria in September 1915 that envisioned that Bulgaria would dominate the Balkans after victory in the war., Bulgaria signed the, allying itself with and the. During the, the and the were both members of the alliance, until the in 1990.See also.References.