Morava Offensive

Operation of the Bulgarian Army

Morava Offensive
Part of the Serbian campaign (1915)
Date14 October 1915 – 9 November 1915
Location
front from Leskovac to Negotin, Serbia
Result Bulgarian victory
Belligerents
 Bulgaria  Serbia
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Bulgaria Kliment Boyadzhiev Kingdom of Serbia Stepa Stepanovic
Strength
  • First Army: 195,620 men
  • 116,569 rifleman
  • 108 machine guns
  • 422 cannons[1]
  • Second Army – 5 infantry divisions: 90,000 riflemen
  • 94 machine guns
  • 248 cannons[2]
Casualties and losses
  • 1,906 killed
  • 10,637 wounded
  • 925 missing[3]
6,000 casualties
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Serbian campaign
Serbian campaign (1914)

Serbian campaign (1915)

  • Morava
  • Ovče Pole
  • Kosovo
  • Great Retreat
  • Montenegro
    • Mojkovac

Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian occupation

  • Toplica Uprising

The Morava Offensive Operation (Bulgarian: Моравска настъпателна операция), (Serbian: Битка на Морави) was undertaken by the Bulgarian First Army between 14 October 1915 and 9 November 1915, as part of the strategic offensive operation of Army Group Mackensen against Serbia in 1915. Under the command of Lieutenant General Kliment Boyadzhiev, the Bulgarians seized the fortified areas of Pirot, Niš and the valley of the river Morava. As a result, the Serbian forces were compelled to retreat towards Kosovo and Metohija.

Due to the harsh weather, the defenders' strong resistance and the rough terrain, early Bulgarian advance was slow. But because the defenders were severely outnumbered, the Bulgarians broke through near Pirot in 10 days, and the Serbs retreated to the Timok.

The battle continued for 27 days, and the Bulgarians penetrated up to 90 km deep into Serbia's territory. The Serbs lost 6,000 men, 60 guns, and a large amount of military equipment.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Българската армия в Световната война, vol. II, pag. 892–905; Държавна печатница,София 1938
  2. ^ Българската армия в Световната война, vol. II, pag. 918–921; Държавна печатница,София 1938
  3. ^ Българската армия в Световната война, vol. IV , pag. 1028; Държавна печатница,София 1940

Sources

  • DiNardo, Richard L. (2015). Invasion: The Conquest of Serbia, 1915. Santa Barbara: Praeger. ISBN 9781440800924.
  • Атанас Пейчев и колектив, 1300 години на стража, Военно издателство, София 1984.

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Prelude South-western front
Serbian campaign, Macedonian front
Romanian front • Outcome • Others Important persons

1912–1913

1913

Neutrality

1914

1915

Commanders

 Bulgaria

Nikola ZhekovKliment BoyadzhievDimitar Geshov • Georgi Todorov • Ivan LukovStefan NerezovVladimir Vazov

Entente:

 Serbia: Radomir PutnikŽivojin MišićStepa StepanovićPetar BojovićPavle Jurišić Šturm;
 France: Maurice SarrailAdolphe GuillaumatLouis Franchet d'Espèrey;
 United Kingdom: Bryan MahonGeorge Milne;
 Kingdom of Greece: Panagiotis Danglis

Field Armies
  • Kingdom of Bulgaria+German Empire Eleventh Army
  • Kingdom of Bulgaria First Army
  • Kingdom of Bulgaria Second Army
  • Kingdom of Bulgaria Fourth Army
Battles

1915

Morava Offensive • Ovče Pole Offensive • Kosovo offensive (1915) • Battle of Krivolak

1916

First battle of Doiran • Battle of Florina (Lerin)Struma operationMonastir offensive

1917

Second battle of Doiran • 2nd Crna Bend • Second battle of Monastir

1918

Battle of Skra-di-LegenBattle of Dobro Pole • Third battle of Doiran

Commanders

 Bulgaria

Nikola ZhekovPanteley KiselovStefan ToshevTodor Kantardzhiev • Ivan Kolev

Entente:

 Romania: Constantin PrezanAlexandru Averescu;
 Russia: Andrei ZayonchkovskiVladimir Sakharov

Field Armies
  • Kingdom of Bulgaria Third Army
Battles

1916

Battle of TurtucaiaBattle of BazargicFirst CobadinFlămânda OffensiveSecond CobadinBattle of Bucharest

Outcome

1918 Treaty of Brest-LitovskArmistice of Focșani • Treaty of Bucharest • Protocol of Berlin

Outcome

Others

  • Bulgarian administration in Kosovo
  • Anti-military propaganda
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