The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

ready to fight for the independence and freedom of her race enslaved in Austria-Hungary, and that moreover in that fight, she could fairly rely on the sympathies and possible assistance of all the Southern Slavs, in spite of their division into separate provinces. Their moral union and resoluteness no longer to allow themselves to be treated by Vienna and Budapest like slaves and third-class citizens, was an obvious fact, which could not but fill their masters with grave apprehensions and sinister forebodings. Looking through the spectacles of medizval prejudices, the Court circles in Austria-Hungary could never clearly realise whence arose that sentiment of freedom and human dignity in their Southern Slav people which inspired them with a spirit of restlessness and dissatisfaction. Of course Serbia appeared to them the unique source. She must be crushed before that spirit could breed open insurrection. Hence the irrevocable resolution of Vienna to use the first opportunity to extirpate that spirit of incipient revolt among the Southern Slav subjects of the Dual Monarchy, and to annihilate Serbia as an eternal source of anxiety to Vienna and the greatest obstacle to her triumphant march to the Kast.

The annexation crisis therefore marks a new and most acute phase of the Austro-Serbian relation, which led directly to the present war. Serbia was doomed, and only a propitious moment was awaited for the final performance.

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