I doubt that Bismarck has said such a stupid sentence.
Me, too. Bismarck actually wanted to see Balkan as part on new German reich.
Balkans were important as the "gate" to Bosphorus, and particularly the connection between the Black sea and the Mediterranean sea. All Great powers had their interests on the Balkans and supported different Balkan states at different times.
Its not only about strategic meaning of region. Balkan is the old core of the Western world, birthplace of it. So, Balkan has significant moral meaning. It is prestige place for world powers to control.
Both Balkan wars were just the "preliminary round" of the Great war.
Exactly. Events on Balkan were additionally complicated by the meddling of western European powers.
Just think what would the USA have done had the Balkan states not been members of NATO?
Serbia still isn`t part of NATO. Serbia declared its neutrality on global military alliances. But, that is exactly the problem in the eyes of the west of Europe and USA.
Exactly Paulina. Turkey and Poland are strenghening their friendship. I am happy to see that. There were lots of activites, exhibitions, films, concerts in Turkey about Poland and many Turkish people attended them with pleasure.
Its not about friendship. Its about `killing Poland softly`, by annihilating Polish interests on Balkan, while west of Europe holds Poland.
But, Serbians still hold, as would Turkey learn in a harder way.
How then was Erdogan able to get all these generals arrested? How was he able to block YouTube and Twitter in Turkey? I believe that was just the beginning; especially now that he was "elected" (cough, cough) president.
Sure.
Turkish propaganda movie on the Net, part of Neo-Ottoman euphoria >>>
The Glorious Turkish Ottoman Elite Troops vs. the whole Polish & Serbian Army -1444 Varna