BALKAN DEVELOPMENTS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17006, 13 November 1918, Page 10

BALKAN DEVELOPMENTS

OVER-RUNNING OF SERVSA.

ROmiANU'S HARD TRIALS.

EXPEDITION TO SALONIKA. In the war with Austria. Servia fully maintained her military reputation, she beat off attacks in August and September, 1914. but in November the Austrian* planned a groat invasion. A mass of seven corps, under General Potiorek, swept into gervia, across the Drina, Save, and Danube. The Crown Prince of Servia and Marshal Putnik retreated into the range of hills south of Valievo in raid-Novem-ber. The Austrians followed, and, apparently believing that resistance was at an end, Potiorek despatched three corps to the Carpathians to take part in the first advance against the Russians from Cracow at the beginning of December. Meanwhile the Servians had replenished their ammunition from » source unsuspected, and on December 3 they •track home. After a three days' battle they routed the Austrians, who fled in all directions, and by December 15 the Crown Prince of Servia had re-entered Belgrade, after taking 40,000 prisoners. For nine months the Servians had been recuperating when the German plan to invade Servia and unite with & new ally, Bulgaria, and 60 open the route from Berlin and Vienna to Constantinople, called Marshal Putnik again into the field. Wax Witt Bulgaria. Allied diplomacy in the Balkans had aimed at promoting a friendly understanding between Servia, Greece, and Bulgaria and had eo far succeeded that in August 1915, the Servian Skuptehina in a secret lession recognised the "sacrifices indiejiensabla for the protection and the vital interests of our people. 1 ' Negotiations however, proceeded slowly, and in the meantime a fresh complication arose through the endeavour by Bulgaria to secure from Tnrkev thj control el a short section of the railway, which following the course of the river Maritu, passed through a corner of Turkish territory on its way to the coast at Dedeagalch- A* early as July 22 ii was announced that a convention had been signed, ceding this small but important area to Bulgaria, but it was not until September 22 that the deal was openly acknowledged, together with an intimation that the convention provided for tie future maintenance of armed neutrality on the part of Bulgaria. This aunounwtnenS was immediately followed by the mobilisation of the Bulgarian Army. On September £4, Greece responded with a counter-mobilisation, order. The crisis, as far as Servia was concerned, began at the end of September, when von Mackeneen masted a ioree estimated at 25ff.0C0 meu-German and Austrian—and 2000 heavy guns or. the Servian northern frontier. Simultaneously it b<> c=.rne known to the Allies that German and Austrian officers were being appointed to posts on the Bulgarian staff, and in the army which the Bulgarians were themeelves assembling on their frontier with Servia. On October 51 the Russian Govemment demanded that Bulgaria should send away the officers "belonging to the armies, of States .who are at war with the Powers of the Entente." To this ultimatum the reply given was that there were no German" or Austrian officers who could be sent away. Diplomatic relations were accordingly broken oft QrfsJs in Greece. In the meantime the Entente Powers had negotiated with M. Yenizelos that British and French troops should be landed at Salonika. For this policy M. VeaUelos received & vote of confidence in the Greek Chamber on. October-4. Oa October 5 the landing of the allied forces at Salonika began, but on the same day King Constantino informed M. Venizeloa that "he could not pursue his policy to the end." The Premier resigned, and M. Z&izois fogged *■ slop-gap Ministry, which was defeated on a vote of confidence on November' 4. In spite of the Venizelist majority in the Chamber, another nominee of the Kind's, M. Skouloudis, became Premier, and continued in office after a general election ordered by the King, at which the followers of if. Yenizelos refrained from voting as a protest against the King's infringement of the Constitution. .: U Retreat of' - the Swviani. Deserted.by '.Greece, and treacherously i attacked by. Bulgaria, the: Servian army slowly gave ground. Belgrade was occur ' pied by the Germans aim Austrians on j October 9/ 1915, Semendria. two day* ! later, Obreooyafcr' on October 18, Orsdr'o ' on October 25, and Prahovo on the same I day. Marshal Putnik was supported on j his left by the army of Montenegro, whiri I on October .27 faced the Austrians on the [ Drina, east-'of,. Yishegrad, coveting the j Bardjak. By the seizure of the Danube at its loop by the Iron Gates, Roouania W3.i eat off- frost Servia,' sue. at the aamu time the river- waa opened to traffic with -the .Bulgarian porta. Meanwhile wether Bulgarian army had been formed in the south to check the advance of thi "Anglo-French expedition under General Sarrail and seize the SalonikaNish. railway. : The Bulgarian* took Kcprulu, Kumasbvo, and Uskub between October 21 and 22. Both Uskub and Koprelu were recaptured, bub again abandoned to the Bulgarians. On, October 29 this French occupied Stnrawitza on Bulgarian territory, 12 miles east of the railway, and meanwhile the British 10th division had been brought from the GaliipoJi Peninsula, and proceeded to take up a position on the right of the French in the vicinity of Lake Dciran. Early in November Nish fell into the hands of the . Bulgarians, after a defence of three, days. Meanwhile the Austrian and German armies had steadily marched southwards, and on November 6 had reached the line Kralyevo-Krushevatz, thus securing the western railway that runs toward* the River Drina. The Bulgarians occupied Leekovatz on November 9, and the armies then reached a mountainous region. After ar attempt to defend their new capital of Mltrovitza, in the plain of Kesscnw, the Servian* retreated into Albania, and after great hardships reached the coast, and were rescued by allied expeditions landed at Durazzo and Valeria for that purpose. By the beginning of 1916 the Austrian* bad brer-ran Monteclsgro, and the remrants of the Montenegrin army and friendly Albanian forces were also taken from the mainland and sent to the island of Corfu for reorganisation and re-equip* ping. The Servians and Montenegrins now joined the allied army at Salonika, which, after its unsuccessful attempt to effect a Junction with the Servians, withdrew into Greece, and remained unmolested, while it steadily gained in strength, Eoumsnia in the Field. After hesitating on the brink of war for many months Eomnania took the plunge on August 28, 1916. declaring war i on Austria-Hungary. She had already mobilised her forces, and had increased I her gun-power, but her eonipment was I totally inadequate for a campaign under modern conditions. She had a long fron- ; tier line, the greater part of which frtnmd enemy territory, and in addition to her mam foe, Austria, she was flanked by the Bulgarians, who had a large force immediately available. Her military chiefs, against the advice of the Allies decided upon an offensive campaign in Transylvania, a province, which she. claimed as her own by reason of the preponderance of Roumanian population. At first all went well, the invasion pros, pored, the Austrian armies were driven into headlong flight, and the Roumanian armies marched far into the coveted pro . yince. The Russian forces sent to assist invaded Bulgaria alone the Black Sea coastline, and drove the defending forces from theDobnidja. Then the Wow fell Three anmes,.that of the north under < General von FaUienhayn, *«<> had been Sftfl*™"' th ° post of a "f ,} Staff or Hie German armies on August 30 in !E ft***"* «»t oftha west under;- D™ B that of the south Mm von Mackensen, simulUnioatty- at. taelted and drove the Roumanians back 'fr-uJt teste own frontwsr. Threatened with '" 1

a death-squeeze between the pincer jaws of the advancing armies they had to retire from the whole of Wallachla, giving up rich harvests and great oil fields, ana losing thousands of prisoners. Oh November 30 the Ministry left Bucharest for Jsssy, in Moldavia, and next day the battle for the capital began. On December 6 Bucharest was evacuated, the enemy taking 10,000 prisoners. On the shortened line following their retreat tho Ron. manians now entrenched, and in stronglydefensive positions held out until the organisation of their forces and equipment on a modern scalo was effected. This was completed just as the Russian debaclerobbed them of an opportunity of assisting in a great eastern offensive. The Macedonian Operations. Tba entry of Ronmania was immediately followed by activity on the part of tho army based on Salonika. The prospect of a general advance against tho Balkan railway was deferred by tho entangling effect* of the Greek situation, where the Bulgarian invasion of Greek territory led to the national movement, headed by M. Venizelos. The offensive was seriously delayed. It developed subsequently in an advance by the reorganised Servian Army, supported by French and Russian troops, against Monastir. A series of successes culminated in the recovery of the town on November 10, the anniversary of its capture from tlie Turks four years before, and nearly a year after it was abandoned to the Bulgarians. Tho British established their front east of the Struma River, threatening the Seres railway. Treacherous attacks were made on parties of allied troops landed in Athena on December 1, 1916, and this outrage was followed by violence against Vonizeiists in the city. The Allies blockaded Greece, and made demands designed fo remove the menace which arose from the unconstitutional actions of the pro-German Ting. Finally the Allies, weary of Cor«stai>tine's trickery, compelled his replacing him by his second son, Aiexan der, who proved more amenable to reason. M. Venizelos was recalled, the Assembly of 1915. which was more truly representstire of the people than the last elected Chamber, was re-convoked, and Greece, now at war with the Central Powers, massed her divisions to assist the Allies on her northern frontier. Surrender of Bulgaria. As the war had started in the Balkans, so the promise of its ending appeared jramiitically here. On September 16 the illied army, now considerably outnumbering the enemy forces, opened an offensive 3n a short front east of jfonastir. It carried the enemy's position*, and the Servians, struggling gallantly over difficult mountains, kept the breach open, and reinforcements were able to cut tho SaJonilta-Nirh railway. This disorganised the enemy's whole line. He commenced i rapid retirement from th« Vardav Talley, hotly pursued by the Allies. Th Bulgarian army north of Monastir was leparated from "the others and forced into the mountains, and the military position was full of peril for the Bulgarians when, in September 29, they surrendered tinronditionally. The German and Austria--forces in the Balkans rapidly retreated The Allies reached the Danube on October 21, and the Servians reocenpied Belgrade on November 2. ITALY'S FRONTIER WAR. THE BATTLES FOR GORZ. AUSTRIAN FIND A WEAK POINT. ITALY CONQUERS MISFORTUNE. On May 24,1915, Italy definitely ranged herself on. the side of the Allies. At first tier principal effort was towards Trieste. For the protection of this port the Austrian* took up a strong defensive line along the Isoszo River. At the same time an Italian army seized the fruitier passes to the Trentino, where "the Austrians were content to remain on the defensive until the spring of 1916, when they concentrated i great number of men and guns with the object of forcing a way to the Venetian Piain, and cutting the communications of 'he Italian army on the Isonxo. At the i irst shock the' Italians fell back, but leneral. Cadorna, having formed a new irmy behind his lines, met and broke the lustrum offensive. On the kxuo tho Italians prosecuted i. vigorous offensive daring the summer ii 1W.6, leading to the capture of Gore on August 9. Having then been fighting Austria for over a year, they declared war nt Germany. A new battle broke out >n this front in May, 1917, and for several weeks rapid progress was made ipon the inhospitable Carso Piateau. the most effective blow was struck in August, when, feinting from Monfaicone, :be Italians developed a great attack ou he Carso, winning the dominant positions >ast of the Isorao, and carrying their line veil along the road to Trieste. They were .nought up at Mount- Hermada, near the :oast road i but not until they had won a great slice Of territory and taken heavy toll of the enemy's defensive forces. Each autumn the Central Powers have planned 'a surprise campaign, and the autumn of 1917 proved no exception to the rule. Withdrawing four good German divisions from the Russian front and two from, the French, and making up a- 14th may for the German General von. Bulow by the addition of four picked Austrian divisions, the enemy added this force to the 40 other Austrian divisions on the Italian front, and opened an attack on th* whole line on October 23. The main blow waa delivered by von Bulow's army. After a heavy bombardment and under cover of mist, the Germans broke through the Italian lines at Plezzo and Tohnino, storming the heights and overwhelming the defenders. Under the continued pressure of this fierce assault the Italians gave way, and withdrew as best they could until the Piave was reached, and cm this line at last the Italians held firm. The Austriana were apparently in no bony to commence an offensive when the snows bad melted, and it was not until June 15 last that they opened an attack which at first affected the whole front and then narrowed down to th* mountain sector east and wast of the Brenta and the Piave River. The offensive commenced with an initial failure which became more pronounced as it developed. In the mountains, which are the vital sector of the present Italian front, the attack was pinned to the line on which it developed, and so any threat to the Italian communications was prevented. On the Piftve the. Austriana made an advance, crossing, the river at several pointo and linking up the bridgeheads to ae to form a narrow front over the river. Their most serious encroachment was on the Montello Plateau, where the Piave emerites from the mountains. Here they succeeded in gaining the crest and threatening the hinge of the Italian line. The Italians' reply was prompt and effective. The counter-offensive commenced against the Mcmtello Plateau and then extended down the Piave. The Austriana were forced back to the river at several points, and their difficulties were increased by a characteristic rise, which carried away many bridges. The Italian artillerymen and airmen contributed to make communications, unsafe, and, after losing heavily, the Austrians commenced a general retreat. Th ß Italians regained the whole of the Montello Plateau and the western bank of the Piave, capturing several thousand prisoners and much material. A lull again descended upon the front until October 23, when reconnoitring attach were made by the Allies in the mountain sector. The action quioJdv crew into a battle on the- Piave, and although the liaWmetwrtl, the Bame misfortune as the Austriana had experienced in bavins to negotiate a swollen river, they pressed on..The Piave was crossed oy Italian and Bribe* troops on a front of J» miles. The Anstmns at first resisted strongly, but when their front wag broken and cavalry thrown into the breach they wavered. The JtaUans swept towards the Lirenra, ? V i e ' Xi 'oS%L Md> th Taßliamento, taking 80,000 prisoners and 1600 guns in a tew days. Austrian division commenced to mufauy- and desert, and the great Italian victory reached its logical conclusion in the unconditional surrender of Austria on glavember 4.