The year 1908 is marked by the revolution of the Young Turks. The Young Turks, who stood out for their spirit of modern reform, demanded that the Sultan draw up a constitution and then proceeded to oust him. Their goal was to reform and strengthen the Ottoman State and at the same time put an end to the interference of Europe as Powers in its internal affairs. Their rallying-cry of “Freedom, Equality and Brotherhood” touched the hearts of the Empire’s subject peoples. It was also favorably received by the neighbouring Balkan states. Indicative of the optimism of the Greeks is the poster, number 1, produced in Athens in 1908. The girl symbolizes the Ottoman Empire. Around her, the Young Turks are breaking the bonds of despotism. In the background, the people are coming together in brotherhood. At the top is the personification of “Glory” with the rallying-cry of the Young Turks, which in fact echoes the slogan of the French Revolution: “Freedom, Brotherhood and Equality.”

Soon, however, the hopes of the peoples’ were to prove groundless. The Young Turks, in their effort to construct a nation state based on western prototypes, adopted a nationalist policy promoting Turkish Moslem interests by favouring the Turkish element at the expense of the Christians. The realisation of the Young Turks’ true aims provoked strong reactions not only within the Empire, but also in the Balkan states. Finally, in 1912, these states – Greece, Bulgaria, Serbia and Montenegro - put aside their differences, formed an alliance and demanded substantial reforms in favor of the Christian minorities. The Young Turks regime rejected these demands. As a result, the Balkan states, declared war on Turkey. The First Balkan War broke out in October 1912.

During this war a large part of Greek Macedonia is liberated. The old “Macedonomachi” rushed as volunteer scouts for the victorious Greek army’s operations. The climax of the military campaign was the surrender of Thessaloniki to the Greeks on 26 October, 1912. The The supreme commander of the Turkish forces General, Hassan Taksim Pasa, an ethnic Albanian signed the unconditional surrender protocol of the city, as is shown in picture 4. The Greek Army can be seen marching in procession through the streets of Thessaloniki in the two photographs of number 5.

Soon however, problems arouse among the allies with regard to the sharing out of Ottoman territory. The Bulgarians were deeply disillusioned by the gains of the Greek and Serbs as a result of their military victories. On the Second Balkan War, in 1913, Bulgarian military units attacked the positions of their former allies, Greeks and Serbs. The war ended with the defeat of Bulgaria and the signing of the Treaty of Bucharest in August 1913, this Treaty that finally settled the borders between the combatant states. With regard to the geographical area of Macedonia, approximately 51% became part of Greece, approximately 10.5% part of Bulgaria and 38% part of Serbia. The Serbian portion of 1912, constitutes today the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

It should be recalled that the wider region of Macedonia, remained under Ottoman rule for about 500 years. During thou centuries, its population comprised a multitude of ethnic groups, religions and mother tongues. Apart from the Moslems, the Christian element was composed of Greek speakers, Vlach speakers and Albanian speakers. They were also important Jewish communities in urban ce3nters, with more prominent in Thessaloniki Over the next decade (1913-1923) new wars and ensuing exchanges of population between the neighbouring states (Greece, Serbia, Bulgaria and Turkey) reduced substantially the multi ethnic fabric of the Macedonians regions and transformed the greater part of Greek Macedonia into a homogenious region to gain the upper hand and the hardship, which together with the liberation, was brought about first by the Balkan Wars This long period of national rivalries followed by the First and Second World Wars, brought much suffering to the local populations and left open wounds. In times of international crisis certain Balkan countries sought to exploit these wounds for their own political objectives. Despite such drawbacks, which at times risked the renewal of armed conflicts, the map of the southern Balkans, remained stable.

For the Greeks of Macedonia, the Balkan Wars signified the end of the Ottoman rule and the unification of their land with the rest of the Greek State. Today, Greek Macedonia - the homeland of Philip and Alexander the Great, is a vital constituent part of Greece. In the new Balkans, this region has become the springboard of Greek initiatives for Balkan cooperation and good neighborly relations with all the neighbours.