Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878.known as one of the most "progressive" and, in essence, was the liberation of most of the Slavic Balkans under Ottoman rule.In addition to these objectives enjoy broad support among all sections of the population of the Russian Empire, the Tsarist government had its own interests to strengthen its influence in the Balkans.
San Stefano peace treaty was signed on March 16, 1878 in the eponymous town near Constantinople - the capital of Turkey.This agreement has been very beneficial Russian Empire, because it is our country, exhausted by the heavy military and financial unprofitable companies wanting to quickly formalize their official benefits of victory.The Ottoman Empire was forced to agree to all the demands of Russia and sign the Treaty of San Stefano, since the Russian-Bulgarian troops occupied the entire European part of the empire, were under the capital - Istanbul (Constantinople), and only the intervention of European countries saved it from final defeat.
San Stefano peace treaty - the basic conditions:
- treaty recognized the independence of Serbia, Montenegro and Romania increased their territory;
- Bosnia and Herzegovina formed an autonomous region;
- main goal of the war was also achieved - the territory of Bulgaria from the Danube to the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea to Lake Ohrid has been completely liberated from the Ottoman Empire and got independence.She was supposed to be under the protection of Russia for 3 years, after which it becomes a fully independent, while maintaining its relationship with Russia, which has previously provided significant assistance to her;
- Turkish Empire had to pay a contribution of 1.4 bln. Rubles, part of which was repaid territorial concessions: the town and fortress of Kars, Ardahan, Bayazet, Batum, Kars, Dobrogea, the Danube Delta, and the Snake Island (European Russia ceded Romania);
- Russia obliged the Ottoman Empire to reform the management of Armenia and Albania, a member of it, and slightly moderate their claims with respect to certain areas of Greece.
However, the triumph of Russian diplomacy was short-lived - the UK government and its allied countries were dissatisfied with the results achieved by Russia during the war.San Stefano peace treaty gave Russia, Romania and Bulgaria, too, breaking the old political system and the distribution of forces.England afraid of weakening Turkey, which is a perennial rival Russian and original shield to protect the way to the Mediterranean straits that Britain wanted to control their own.The Austrian Empire, which has direct borders with Russia in the West feared strengthen its role among related Slavic peoples who inhabited a large part of the empire and the emergence of wars of liberation following the example of Bulgaria.For Russia, the threat evolved a second Crimean War, to which it is weakened by a debilitating war and financial instability, was not ready.That is why the Berlin Conference was convened, fully have revised the San Stefano peace treaty and its terms, reducing many of its points.
Nevertheless, Russia has achieved the main thing - the liberation of Bulgaria and the strengthening of its moral and political authority in the Balkans, although the war long enough to undermine its fighting capacity, has shaken the financial system at the time of knocking it out of the pan-European big game.
Today the Treaty of San Stefano Bulgaria is celebrated as the day of national independence is one of the most popular festivals in the country.
