The years 1924-25 were marked by a crisis in Greek-Bulgarian relations. The crisis was ignited by the murder of 17 Slavo-speaking villagers near the village of Terliz (which means Deep Place) in Drama by the militia of the Smyrna refugees.

The tension peaked in October 1925 due to the murder of a Greek captain and his groom, who was carrying a white flag, in the narrow pass of Demir Kapu. The Greek army retaliated by invading Bulgarian territory and advancing to the town of Petrich.

The near Greek-Bulgarian war elevated the prestige of Pangalos' dictatorship domestically but led to Greece's condemnation abroad and helped Bulgaria emerge from the international isolation brought on by its defeat in the Great War.

Throughout this period, armed groups of villagers, taking advantage of the political crisis, crossed the border on both sides for the purposes of sabotage, espionage, and livestock theft.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]