Second Army (Bulgaria)
Encyclopedia
The Bulgarian Second Army was a Bulgaria
n field army
during the Balkan Wars
, World War I
, and World War II
.
was divided in three army inspectorates , each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three independent field armies. The Second Army Inspectorate, which had its seat in Plovdiv
, formed the headquarters of the Second Army.
Nikola Ivanov
took command of the Second Army and colonel
Nikola Zhekov
was made chief of staff.
The Second Army was tasked with covering the concentration of the remaining forces. Its own mobilization and deployment were carried out according to schedule and on 30 September almost all units had reached their designated areas along the Ottoman border. The Army established its headquarters at Simeonovgrad
. Then on 5 of October 1912 O.S. Bulgaria
declared war on the Ottoman Empire
. The Second Army had the following order of battle:
The task of the army was to neutralize the strong garrison of the Adrianople
fortress while the First and Third
armies engaged the main forces of the Ottoman Eastern Army. After the advance had begun, in order to achieve its objective, the Second Army was temporarily reinforced with the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division (9236 men, c.8,300 rifles and 8 machine guns), which was attached to the 9th Division.
Initially the army met little resistance and its main forces(8th and 9th divisions) headed towards Adrianople. The Haskovo Detachment engaged the Ottoman forces of Yaver Pasha around Kurdzhali and after a decisive battle
took the town on 8 of October. This secured the right flank of the army and made any Ottoman attacks on its rear lines of communication impossible.
On 9 October the Ottoman Army in Eastern Thrace commenced an offensive against the Bulgarian forces. The fortress garrison left the town and attacked to the west and the east against the Bulgarian Second and First armies. The Bulgarians were not surprised and managed to hold the attacks, forcing the Ottomans to return to the fortress. On 10 October, with the end of the attempted breakthrough the Bulgarian High Command ordered the 1/3 Brigade to be returned to the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division. The Haskovo Detachment was ordered to leave two battalions in Kardzhali
and approach Adrianople
from the west.
After the victory at the Battle of Kirk Kilisse
the Bulgarian First and Third armies advanced to the south in pursuit of the Ottoman Eastern Army and cut the line of communication between Adrianople and Constantinople. The 3rd Balkan Division was ordered by the commander of the First Army to remain around Adrianople, to protect the army's rear and cooperate with the Second Army. With the fortress now almost completely isolated, its commander Shukru Pasha ordered a new attack on 16 October with 18 infantry battalions against the Bulgarian 3/8, 1/9 and 2/9 infantry brigades but it soon failed and the Turkish troops retired to their main defensive line. On the same day with their main forces engaged at the Lule Burgas the Bulgarians decided to complete the encirclement of the fortress. Two brigades of the 9th Division were sent to assist the Third Army
while their place was taken by the newly formed 11th Mixed Infantry Dicision. By 26 of October the fortress was completely cut off but the Bulgarian lines were overstretched and in held by very few troops on many places. The Bulgarian High Command used a previously reached agreement with Serbia
, that allowed the deployment of Serbian forces in Eastern Thrace, to reinforce the Bulgarians with two divisions of the Serbian Second Army
. By early November the last of the Serbian forces had arrived. With the attention of the Bulgarians focused on the Çatalca
line a new attempt by the Ottomans to break the siege was repulsed on 29 and 30 of October. Until the first armistice was concluded the Second Army limited its operations to tightening the encirclement and shelling the fortress in order to reduce the morale of its defenders.
During the first armistice, while the peace talks in London
continued, the Bulgarians strengthened and fortified their positions around the fortress. As soon as it became evident that the Ottomans were not willing to satisfy the demands of the Balkan League
, the Bulgarian High Command began preparing for a possible renewal of the military operations and drawing plans for the capture of the Adrianople
Fortress.
In January 1913 the talks finally broke down and hostilities recommenced. On 26 of January the Ottomans began a large offensive against Bulair
and on the Çatalca
line in order to breakthrough the Bulgarian armies and relieve the forces in Adrianople. To use this development on the next day Shukru Pasha again ordered his forces to break out the besieged fortress but once again the attack failed. The Ottomans offensive as a whole had little success and failed to achieve its objectives. The Bulgarian High Command decided to storm the fortress in order to prevent any more large attempts for its rescue and to free the Bulgarian forces besieging it for operations elsewhere. By March the Second Army was reinforced and ready to attack. It's battle area was divided in sectors that had the following order of battle:
The Serbian Second Army
(28 battalions, 18 batteries, 46,450 men; 22,433 rifles, 28 machine guns and 70 cannons) was deployed in the Western and Northwestern sector.
The final assault
began on 11 of March with the forces in the Eastern Sector tasked with the main attack. After three days of heavy fighting the fortress fell and Sukru Pasha surrendered to generals Nikola Ivanov
and Georgi Vazov. The Ottoman Empire
was left with no choice, asked and received a second armistice on 3 April. This marked the end of the Bulgarian military operations in the war.
Bulgaria was forced to start transferring its forces immediately to Macedonia
and the old border with Serbia. The Second Army was deployed in Aegean Macedonia
against the entire Greek Army. It's composition had changed significantly and now included two half-strength divisions and three infantry brigades, two of which had been recently raised from young untrained and inexperienced men from the territories ceded by the Ottoman Empire
. On 16 June the army had the following order of battle:
On 17 June, following the attack of the Bulgarian Fourth Army
against the Serbians, the Second Army began advancing against the Greek forces. The 11th Division and the Serres Brigade drove off the Greek troops around Pravishte
with ease, as the main Greek forces had retired to the right bank of the Struma a few days earlier. In the center of the line the 1/10 Brigade and the 2/3 Brigade also advanced and began fortifying their positions around Kukush
and Negovan. Meanwhile the 3/3 Brigade attacked the weak Serbian vanguards west of Lake Dojran and captured Gevgelija
. The Army remained dispersed on a 96 kilometer long front which severely hampered the coordination and cooperation between its forces, leaving general Ivanov
with no reserves.
During the initial Bulgarian advanced the Greek Army had not finished its concentration but once the direction of the advance was clear and it became evident that the Bulgarian Fourth Army was seriously engaged in the struggle with the Serbians the Greek Headquarters decided to go on the offensive. For that purpose the Greeks had 8 infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade, almost their entire army. On 19 of June they advanced with 2 divisions(6 regiments) on a wide front against Kukush
where the Bulgarian 2nd Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Division(2 regiments) had fortified its positions. The fighting was heavy but the Bulgarians managed to hold the advance temporarily which convinced the Greek Headquarters to throw even more forces in the fight and outflank the Bulgarians. By 21 of June the 2/3 Brigade couldn't cope with the crushing numerical superiority of its opponents and the arriving reinforcements from the Serres Brigade failed to avert the defeat. This forced the Bulgarians to retreat. The situation on the other sectors of the Second Army also deteriorated rapidly. Parts of the 3/3 Brigade were defeated at Kalinovo by the Greek 10th division and the 1/10 Brigade, supported by parts of the Drama Brigade, was defeated at Lachanas
by thee Greek 1st and 6th divisions. After the defeat at the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
the Bulgarians retired to the north. On the right wing of the Second Army the 3/3 Infantry Brigade had dug in south of Dojran
in an attempt to hold the Greek 10th Division. The Bulgarian Command order the 2/6 Infantry Brigade to reinforce the positions but the Greeks pressed two more divisions in the fight and once again compelled the Bulgarians to retreat on 23 June.
The Second Army was now given the task to protect the Dojran
-Strumitsa road and the Rupel Gorge that were vital for the rear of the Bulgarian 4th Army. For that purpose the army was divided in two - the 3/3 and 2/6 infantry brigades under the commander of the 6th Bdin Division were to defend the first direction and the Serres, Drama, 2/3 and 1/10 brigades under the commander of the 3rd Division were to guard the Gorge. The 11th Infantry Division was left to guard the Aegean
coast between the Struma and the Mesta
. The Greek Army divided its forces accordingly one group consisting of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th divisions and the cavalry brigade operating against Strumitsa and another one consisting of the 1st, 6th and 7th divisions tasked with demonstrative actions in the Rupel Gorge. The numerical superiority of the Greeks and their artillery proved decisive and on 26 June they took Strumitsa outflanking the Bulgarins at Ruppel and forcing their retreat. The Second Army however prevented a disaster by managing to hold its positions long enough for the 4th Army to conduct its own retreat.
The Serbians and the Greeks now established direct contact with each other and planned a joint offensive, hoping to link up at Tsarevo Selo
and destroy the Bulgarian 4th and 2nd armies. The Serbians were to attack at Kalimantsi while the main forces of the Greek Army - 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Division, was to advance against Gorna Dzhumaia
with the remaining divisions covering their flanks.
The Bulgarian Second Army was in no condition to hold the Greek advance as it had suffered heavy casualties in the previous battles and a cholera
outbreak further reduced its strength. In addition the news of the Romanian and Ottoman mobilization reduced the morale of the soldiers. Under such conditions by 11 July the Greek forces had managed to advance up to the northern exit of the Kresna Gorge
but the decisive victory they had planned was not achieved as the Serbians were defeated at the Battle of Kalimanci and the Greek forces themselves had overextended their supply lines. The Bulgarian Second Army managed to conduct a fighting retreat, reaching height 1378. On 15 July that positioned was abandoned and the forces retired north Gorna Dzhumaia
where the front finally stabilized.
The Bulgarian High Command now planned to go on the offensive against the Greeks for the first time since the beginning of the war. The Bulgarian 4th and 5th armies had been placed under the overall command of general Mihail Savov
and on 14 of July the Second Army was also added to the army group. the defeat of the Serbians allowed the Bulgarians to concentrate large parts of the 4th Army , the entire 2nd Army and fresh units of the 1st Army against the Greek Army. General Savov could count on 110 battalions, 10 squadrons and 40 artillery batteries against the 84 battalions 12 squadrons and 37 artillery batteries of the Greeks. The plan was to pin down the Serbian armies in front of the Bulgarian 4th Army while the main Bulgarian forces attacked the flanks of the Greek Army in an effort to completely encircle it.
The operation began on 15 of July with successful Bulgarian advances on both flanks and in the center. General Vasil Kutinchev
, who replaced general Ivanov as commander of the 2nd Army on 16 of July, used the situation to retake height 1378 in the center of the front and exerting pressure on the Greeks who were transferring part of their forces from the center in order to strengthen their flanks. The greatest threat for the Bulgarians however came from the Greek 2nd and 4th divisions which attacked between 15 and 17 of July the right wing of the Second Army in an effort to utilize a gap that had opened between it and the 4th Army and eventually join hands with the Serbians at Tsarevo Selo
. The Greek advance however was halted and the reorganized right wing of the Second Army continued its attacks against the left wing of the Greeks in the Kresna Gorge
. The Serbians also tried to assist but their attacks were repulsed by the 7th Rila Division of the Bulgarian 4th Army.
King Constantine realized that his army was placed in a very difficult situation and his so far uncompromising attitude towards Bulgarian offers for a ceasefire gave way to a more yielding attitude. He admitted that his forces were reaching the limits of their physical and morale endurance and asked his prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos
to reach a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible.
By the 17 of July the Bulgarians had achieved success with their right flank advancing with between 15 and 18 kilometers in three days and the Greeks heavily engaged in the center and on their right flank. The advance was to continue on 18 of July but the Greek king managed to obtained the ceasefire he and the Bulgarian delegation in Bucharest
desired before any further military actions were undertaken.
The army was demobilized on 29 of July, one day after the signing of the Treaty of Bucharest.
Bulgaria entered World War I
on the side of the Central Powers
. The Bulgarian Army began mobilizing on 9 of September(23 of September) 1915 and the three field armies were once again activated.
Bulgaria and Germany signed a treaty of alliance and a military convention that laid the plan for the conquest of Serbia
and included Austria-Hungary as a third party,.
In accordance with the said agreements Bulgaria concentrated against Serbia
its First Army, as part of Army Group Mackensen and its Second Army which remained under the direct control of the Bulgarian High Command.
The Second Army under lieutenant general
Todorov
finished its concentration in the Kyustendil
- Dupnitsa - Blagoevgrad
area by 30 of September. Its order of battle was as follows:
The Serbians could oppose these forces with their Macedonian forces under general Damian Popovic. The total strength was 44 battalions with 16 batteries or in other words some 41,250 riflemen, 78 cannons and 38 machine guns. By 30 of September however only 31 battalions with 11 batteries or 29,600 riflemen, 54 cannons and 24 machine guns were on the boarder with Bulgaria
, the rest were guarding the boarder with Albania
. The Serbians adopted a passive defense approach, hoping that their insufficient forces will hold out long enough for the Entente to reinforce them with the troops that were already landing in Salonika.
The objectives of the Bulgarian Second Army were to cut the communication and supply lines between Macedonia and Serbia, to prevent a retreat of the main Serbian forces to Macedonia and to repel any Entente attempts to reinforce the Serbians from the south.
On 1 October(14 October) 1915 Bulgaria declared war on Serbia and the Second Army was ordered to begin its attack drive towardsOvche Pole. The weak Serbian force were quickly defeated and forced to retreat from the boarder area with the Bulgarian forces taking Tsarevo Selo
and Kriva Palanka
followed on 16 of October by the entry of the 2/3 Infantry Brigade in Vranje
. On 6 of October(20 October) the Bulgarian 3rd Division overwhelmed the Serbian positions at Stracin which allowed it to seize Kumanovo
. This practically isolated Serbia from Macedonia and cut the communication and supply lines with Salonika. On 9 of October after a brief fight the Bulgarians took Skopje
. At the same time in the fighting near Krivolak and Strumitsa for the first time French forces of the 156th division aided their Serbian allies by gradually replacing and allowing them to be transferred further to the west.
On 10 of October concerned by the Serbian and Entente efforts to join their forces in Macedonia from the North and the South, the Bulgarian High Command divided the Second Army in two operational groups. The Northern Group was to operate along the valley of the river Morava and in the direction of the Kosovo
plain while the Southern Group had to advance along the Vardar
against the French and British. The army was deemed too weak for these tasks and had to be reinforced by the 11th Macedonian Infantry Division , the 5th Danube Infantry Division that joined it by the middle of October and latter with the 2nd Thracian Infantry Division. This allowed the Northern Group to repel several Serbian attacks against Gnjilane
and Kačanik
in the south the Bulgarians waited for reinforcements and fought several battles with the French around Krivolak and the British south of Strumitsa.
With the fall of Niš
to the north the first phase of the campaign against Serbia ended and the second and last began. The Central Powers
decided to attempt an encirclement of the Serbian Army at the Kosovo Pole. The Second Army was to take part with its Northern Operations Group while it remained on the defensive in the south. The operation lasted for several weeks and on 10 November (23 November) Pristina
fell. The attempted encirclement however failed and part of the Serbian Army managed to withdraw through Albania
to the Adriatic
coast due to the slow advance from the north which allowed them to concentrate bigger forces against the Bulgarian Second Army and considerably reduce its speed. The Central Powers were content only with perusing them with parts of the Second Army and the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army . On 17 November Prizren
was taken but all contact between the Bulgarian and Serbian forces was lost. Gradually the rest of western Macedonia was occupied and by December the Bulgarians entered Monastri
where the Serbian Campaign ended.
After the fall of Pristina
and Prizren
the Bulgarian High Command again turned its attention to the south and began transferring reinforcements for operations against the Entente forces that had grown to as much as 130,000 men. General Maurice Sarrail
realized that the defeat of the Serbian Army made his positions untenable in the face of the whole Bulgarian First and Second armies and began to withdraw parts of his army. By December the Bulgarian Second Army undertook a major offensive against the retreating allies and after several engagements with the French and British 10th (Irish) Division at Kosturino reached the Greek boarder. At this point Vardar Macedonia
was completely cleared of Entente presence but the Second Army several times received warnings from the Bulgarian High Command that any crossing of the Greek boarder was absolutely forbidden. This allow the Allies to safely retreat to Salonika.
For the entire campaign in 1915 the casualties suffered by the Second Bulgarian Army were 4,084 killed, 17,642 wounded, 999 dead from disease and 1,888 missing or a total of around 24,613.
The Bulgarian Second Army which took up position along the Belasitsa range now consisted of the 7th Rila, 11th Macedonian Infantry Division and the 3/2 Infantry Brigade. The 5th Danube and the rest of the 2nd Thracian Infantry Division had been assigned to the German Eleventh Army
. Contact with the Allies in this part of the front was also reestablished. The Bulgarian High Command realized that if the Entente occupied the Southern exit of the Ruppel Pass and took the fortress there the Second Army wouldn't be able to advance south along the Struma and the threat of an Allied attempt to penetrate into Bulgaria itself would grow significantly. With this in mind the 7th Rila Division was ordered to forestall these events by occupying Ruppel fortress first. On 26 of May the Bulgarian forces crosses the boarder, meeting no opposition from the Greek boarder guards. By the next day the 7th Division was in complete control of the entire Ruppel Pass and now controlled all avenues of approach from Demirhisar
to the valley of the Struma. As soon as the operation was over the Bulgarians began fortifying their new positions.
The Bulgarian forces however still remained scattered and had to cover a front of almost 600 kilometers. On a line between Albania
and Lake Dojran the Central Powers
had arrayed the Bulgarian First Army and the German Eleventh Army
(which consisted mostly of Bulgarian formations) under Army Group Mackensen. From there to the delta
of the Maritsa
the front was guarded by the Bulgarian Second Army and the independent 10th Aegean Infantry division. The Bulgarian High Command realized the difficulties involved in holding such a long front and planned measures to improve the situation. The expected entry of Romania
in the war on the side of the Entente provided an additional incentive and an eventual German blessing for a Bulgarian offensive on the Macedonian Front.
The plan was to strike on both Allied flanks in order to cut their communication lines with the Italians in Albania
and seize the Drama
- Giumurdzhina
railway. The second objective was given to the Bulgarian Second Army and the 10th Aegean Division. for the operation general Todorov
could rely on 58 battalions, 116 machine guns, 57 artillery batteries and 5 cavalry squadrons in his army and an additional 25 battalions, 24 machine guns, 31 batteries and 5 squadrons in the 10th Division.
The Struma Offensive began on 18 August with the 7th Rila, 11th Macedonian Division and the 3/2 Infantry Brigade and 10th Division advancing on a 230 kilometer long front. For 6 days the Bulgarian forces achieved all their objectives in the face of weak Greek and French resistance. The depth of the advance reached 80-90 kilometers and an area 4,000 square kilometers was occupied. Most importantly however the Macedonian Front was shortened with 100 - 120 kilometers and the Greek IV Army Corps, that was positioned in the area, was disbanded, its troops and armament interned by the Germans in Silesia
.
On the right Bulgarian flank however the advance of the Bulgarian First Army soon stalled and was called off. The Entente now planned an offensive
against it in order to support the hard pressed Romanians and knock out Bulgaria out of the war. While the main blow was directed against the First Army the British were tasked with secondary operations against the Bulgarian second Army that were designed to pin down as many Bulgarian troops as possible.
In the middle of September, as the situation of the Bulgarian First Army deteriorated, the commander of the Bulgarian Second Army general Todorov
ordered the 7th Rila Division to take positions for an attack over the Struma river, in order to assist the hard pressed Bulgarians and Germans west of the Vardar
. The Bulgarian high command however refused to give permission for the attack. This hesitation allowed the British to consolidated their positions on the left bank of the Struma around the village of Karacaköy
on 30 of September. On 3 of October the 10th (Irish) Division attacked the Bulgarian positions in the village of Yenikoy that were defended by the 13th Rila Regiment of the 7th Division. The battle lasted for the entire day and the Bulgarians reinforced by the 14th Macedonian Regiment and 17th Artillery Regiment twice retook the village after fierce bayonet struggle. During the night, after a third and last attack the village was occupied b the Irish division. Casualties on both sides were heavy due to the accurate artillery and machine gun fire. After the battle the Bulgarian 13th Regiment was reorganized to a three battalion strength instead of the usual four battalions. After 4 of October the Bulgarians set up positions on the nearby heights to the east while the right flank of the 7th Rila division remained in the valley to protect the Rupel Pass. In the middle of October and the beginning of November the Bulgarians were reinforced by two Ottoman divisions which freed some troops that could now be send to assist in the fighting against the Allies west of the Vardar
. From this point onwards no large operations were conducted on the Struma front until the end of the offensive.
For much of 1917 the Struma front was passive as the main Entente efforts were directed against the Eleventh and First armies. In addition any operations were hampered by the often too cold or too hot weather and the spread of malaria
. The only more significant change was that the commander of the Second Army was replaced by general Ivan Lukov.
By 1918 the Bulgarian Army was suffering from chronic shortages of food, ammunition and low morale
. Desertion, including in the Second army, became more frequent. The Entente was well aware of the crisis in the Bulgarian Army and planned to break the Macedonian Front with a large offensive again directed against the Eleventh and First armies. On 14 of September the Serbians and French attacked at Dobro Pole
and achieved a breakthrough. Two days latter the British and Gree attacked the Bulgarian First Army at Doiran
but suffered a heavy defeat. The commander of the First Army general Stefan Nerezov
proposed a counter attack with his forces and the Second Bulgarian Army but after some hesitation was refused permission. So for much of the Entente offensive the Second Army, with its 48 battalions, 251 cannons and 462 machine guns, limited itself with sending small reinforcements to the First Army. Nonetheless the army continued to hold the Struma line and foiled a Greek attempt to capture Serres
, gaining a few canons as trophies. The overall situation however frorced the Bulgarian government ask the Entente for an armistice and general Ivan Lukov was dispatched to Salonika for the negotiations with general Franchet d'Esperey. The talks reached a successful conclusion and the armistice was signed on 29 September 1918. This marked the end of Bulgarian participation the Great War.
The Second Army pulled back to the interior of the country and was demobilized on 16 of October.
, under Tsar
Boris III, allied itself with Adolf Hitler
's Germany
, entered the regained Southern Dobrudja, and captured Thrace
, and much of Macedonia
in the process. In the Bulgarian Army, there were five field armies and some 30 divisions.
In the summer 1941 the Second Army with the 10th Rodopi Division and the 2nd Boarder Brigade occupied Western Thrace
and parts of Aegean Macedonia
. The army set up its headquarters at Xanthi
. The defence of the Aegean
coast however required more specific measures and by the end of the year the Second Army and its units moved to the old boarders of Bulgaria
and were replaced by a special Belomorski (Aegean) Detachment and the 11th division of the First Army.
reached the northern border of Bulgaria
. In an attempt to prevent the entry of the Red Army
in the country on 26 of August the government of Ivan Bagryanov declared Bulgarian neutrality in the German-soviet war. This measure was not enough and soon his government fell and on 5 of September the USSR declared war on the country. Three days latter the new government of Konstantin Muraviev
declared war on Germany in vain as the Red Army entered the country and soon the prime minister was overthrown and replaced with the Fatherland Front
's government which immediately concluded a ceasefire with the soviets and prepared the Bulgarian Army for operations against the forces of Germany.
The German Army Group E
began its withdrawal from Greece
to Yugoslavia
with its 350,000 men. A successful conclusion of the retreat would allow the Germans to create a powerful concentration of almost 570,000 men in Yugoslavia
that would require the combined actions of the Bulgarian Army, the 3rd Ukrainian Front
and ` People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia in order for it to be defeated.
The Bulgarians placed under the battle order of the 3rd Ukrainian Front
were tasked with advancing in three directions - Sofia
- Niš
- Pristina
, Kyustendil
- Skopje
and Blagoevgrad
- Veles
. The Second Army under major general
Cyril Stanchev was to attack in the first direction and deliver strike against the Germans.
The Nis Operations lasted from 8 to 18 of October 1944. The objective of the Second Army was to defeat the forces that were deployed around Niš
and thus cut the retreat routes along the river Morava. For the operation the army consisted of eight units - 4th, 6th, 9th and 12th infantry divisions along with the 1st Guards Infantry division, 2nd Cavalry Division, the Armored Brigade and 4th Boarder Brigade.
Only two days after the operation began the Bulgarians penetrated in the Morava valley and on 14 of October captured Niš
. In the area around the village of Meroshina the Bulgarians defeated the main forces of the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
allowing the Army to complete its objectives by reaching Podujevo
and preparing for further offensive actions.
The Kosovo Operation was the logical continuation Niš Operation. It began on 25 of October and ended on 30 of November. The objective of the Second Army was to seize the Kosovo
plain which would mark the end of the first phase of the war against Germany.
Despite the 1st Guards Infantry division and the 2nd Cavalry Division transferred to other areas, the Bulgarians could still count on their numerical superiority, the support of the Soviet Air force and cooperation from the Yugoslav Partisans. The attack began on 25 of October with a decisive penetration of the German lines around Podujevo
. The advance was hampered by the strong German resistance and the onset of Winter but the Bulgarians managed to capture Pristina
on 19 of November and enter Kosovo
with their main forces.The Germans now retreated and were pursued by the Second Army which reached the Rashka - Novi Pazar
line by the end of the month. This marked the end of the Kosovo Operation and the first phase of the Bulgarian participation in the war against Germany.
The Bulgarians and Soviets reached an agreement to use the Bulgarian First Army for the next phase of the war - the advance to Hungary
and Austria
.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n field army
Field army
A Field Army, or Area Army, usually referred to simply as an Army, is a term used by many national military forces for a military formation superior to a corps and beneath an army group....
during the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
History
After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of BulgariaBulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
was divided in three army inspectorates , each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three independent field armies. The Second Army Inspectorate, which had its seat in Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, formed the headquarters of the Second Army.
First Balkan War
On 17 September Bulgaria declared the mobilization of its armed forces and the three field armies were activated. Lieutenant GeneralLieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Nikola Ivanov
Nikola Ivanov
Nikola Ivanov was a Bulgarian general, Chief of the Headquarters of the Bulgarian Army between 10 May 1894 and 29 November 1896, Minister of war between 29 November 1896 - 30 January 1899...
took command of the Second Army and colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Todorov Zhekov was the Minister of War of Bulgaria in 1915 and served as Commander-in-Chief from 1915 to 1918 during World War I.-Biography:...
was made chief of staff.
The Second Army was tasked with covering the concentration of the remaining forces. Its own mobilization and deployment were carried out according to schedule and on 30 September almost all units had reached their designated areas along the Ottoman border. The Army established its headquarters at Simeonovgrad
Simeonovgrad
Simeonovgrad is a town in southern Bulgaria, located in Haskovo Province on both banks of the Maritsa River. Three bridges connect the town's two parts. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Simeonovgrad Municipality...
. Then on 5 of October 1912 O.S. Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
declared war on the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. The Second Army had the following order of battle:
| Battalions | Squadrons | Artillery Batteries | Men | Rifles | Machine guns | Cannons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Staff and Services | 1,327 | 249 | |||||
| 8th "Tundzha" Infantry Division | 25 | 2 | 15 | 35,473 | 26,908 | 24 | 72 |
| 9th "Pleven" Infantry Division | 25 | 15 | 34,690 | 24,019 | 24 | 72 | |
| Haskovo Detachment | 8 | 1 | 9 | 11,867 | 8,302 | 8 | 42 |
| Mixed Cavalry Brigade | 6 | 1,551 | 1,031 | 4 | |||
| 2nd QF Howitzer Section | 3 | 12 | |||||
| Total | 58 | 9 | 42 | 83,357 | 60,059 | 60 | 198 |
The task of the army was to neutralize the strong garrison of the Adrianople
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
fortress while the First and Third
Third Army(Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Third Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-Balkan Wars:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided into three army inspectorates, each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
armies engaged the main forces of the Ottoman Eastern Army. After the advance had begun, in order to achieve its objective, the Second Army was temporarily reinforced with the 1st Brigade of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division (9236 men, c.8,300 rifles and 8 machine guns), which was attached to the 9th Division.
Initially the army met little resistance and its main forces(8th and 9th divisions) headed towards Adrianople. The Haskovo Detachment engaged the Ottoman forces of Yaver Pasha around Kurdzhali and after a decisive battle
Battle of Kardzhali
The Battle of Kircaali or Battle of Kardzhali was part of the First Balkan War between the armies of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. It took place on 21 October 1912, when the Bulgarian Haskovo Detachment defeated the Ottoman Kırcaali Detachment of Yaver Pasha and permanently joined Kardzhali and...
took the town on 8 of October. This secured the right flank of the army and made any Ottoman attacks on its rear lines of communication impossible.
On 9 October the Ottoman Army in Eastern Thrace commenced an offensive against the Bulgarian forces. The fortress garrison left the town and attacked to the west and the east against the Bulgarian Second and First armies. The Bulgarians were not surprised and managed to hold the attacks, forcing the Ottomans to return to the fortress. On 10 October, with the end of the attempted breakthrough the Bulgarian High Command ordered the 1/3 Brigade to be returned to the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division. The Haskovo Detachment was ordered to leave two battalions in Kardzhali
Kardzhali
Kardzhali or Kurdzhali is a town in Bulgaria, capital of Kardzhali Province in the Eastern Rhodopes. Near the town is the noted Kardzhali Dam.-Geography:...
and approach Adrianople
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
from the west.
After the victory at the Battle of Kirk Kilisse
Battle of Kirk Kilisse
The Battle of Kirk Kilisse or Battle of Kirkkilise or Battle of Lozengrad was part of the First Balkan War between the armies of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire. It took place on 24 October 1912, when the Bulgarian army defeated an Ottoman army in Eastern Thrace.The initial clashes were around...
the Bulgarian First and Third armies advanced to the south in pursuit of the Ottoman Eastern Army and cut the line of communication between Adrianople and Constantinople. The 3rd Balkan Division was ordered by the commander of the First Army to remain around Adrianople, to protect the army's rear and cooperate with the Second Army. With the fortress now almost completely isolated, its commander Shukru Pasha ordered a new attack on 16 October with 18 infantry battalions against the Bulgarian 3/8, 1/9 and 2/9 infantry brigades but it soon failed and the Turkish troops retired to their main defensive line. On the same day with their main forces engaged at the Lule Burgas the Bulgarians decided to complete the encirclement of the fortress. Two brigades of the 9th Division were sent to assist the Third Army
Third Army(Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Third Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-Balkan Wars:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided into three army inspectorates, each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
while their place was taken by the newly formed 11th Mixed Infantry Dicision. By 26 of October the fortress was completely cut off but the Bulgarian lines were overstretched and in held by very few troops on many places. The Bulgarian High Command used a previously reached agreement with Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
, that allowed the deployment of Serbian forces in Eastern Thrace, to reinforce the Bulgarians with two divisions of the Serbian Second Army
Second Army (Serbia)
The Serbian Second Army was a Serbian field army that fought during World War I.During the First Balkan War, the Second Army participated in the Battle of Kumanovo along with the Serbian First Army and the Serbian Third Army and was deployed in the area around Kyustendil...
. By early November the last of the Serbian forces had arrived. With the attention of the Bulgarians focused on the Çatalca
Çatalca
Çatalca is a city and a rural district in Istanbul, Turkey. It is in Thrace, on the ridge between the Marmara and the Black Sea. Most people living in Çatalca are either farmers or those visiting vacation homes. Many families from Istanbul come to Çatalca during weekends to hike in the forests or...
line a new attempt by the Ottomans to break the siege was repulsed on 29 and 30 of October. Until the first armistice was concluded the Second Army limited its operations to tightening the encirclement and shelling the fortress in order to reduce the morale of its defenders.
During the first armistice, while the peace talks in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
continued, the Bulgarians strengthened and fortified their positions around the fortress. As soon as it became evident that the Ottomans were not willing to satisfy the demands of the Balkan League
Balkan League
The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...
, the Bulgarian High Command began preparing for a possible renewal of the military operations and drawing plans for the capture of the Adrianople
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
Fortress.
In January 1913 the talks finally broke down and hostilities recommenced. On 26 of January the Ottomans began a large offensive against Bulair
Battle of Bulair
The battle of Bulair took place on 26 January 1913 between the Bulgarian Seventh Rila Infantry Division under General Georgi Todorov and the Ottoman 27th Infantry Division. The result was a Bulgarian victory.- Origins :...
and on the Çatalca
Çatalca
Çatalca is a city and a rural district in Istanbul, Turkey. It is in Thrace, on the ridge between the Marmara and the Black Sea. Most people living in Çatalca are either farmers or those visiting vacation homes. Many families from Istanbul come to Çatalca during weekends to hike in the forests or...
line in order to breakthrough the Bulgarian armies and relieve the forces in Adrianople. To use this development on the next day Shukru Pasha again ordered his forces to break out the besieged fortress but once again the attack failed. The Ottomans offensive as a whole had little success and failed to achieve its objectives. The Bulgarian High Command decided to storm the fortress in order to prevent any more large attempts for its rescue and to free the Bulgarian forces besieging it for operations elsewhere. By March the Second Army was reinforced and ready to attack. It's battle area was divided in sectors that had the following order of battle:
| Battalions | Squadrons | Artillery Batteries | Men | Rifles | Machine guns | Cannons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Headquarters | 2,356 | ||||||
| Eastern Sector | 50 | 9,5 | 53 | 41,927 | 50 | 226 | |
| Southern Sector | 17 | 23 | 16,278 | 16 | 94 | ||
| Western and Northwestern sector | 4 | 8 | 3,116 | 38 | |||
| Total | 71 | 9,5 | 84 | 107,249 | 61,321 | 66 | 358 |
The Serbian Second Army
Second Army (Serbia)
The Serbian Second Army was a Serbian field army that fought during World War I.During the First Balkan War, the Second Army participated in the Battle of Kumanovo along with the Serbian First Army and the Serbian Third Army and was deployed in the area around Kyustendil...
(28 battalions, 18 batteries, 46,450 men; 22,433 rifles, 28 machine guns and 70 cannons) was deployed in the Western and Northwestern sector.
The final assault
Battle of Adrianople (1913)
The Battle or Siege of Adrianople or Siege of Edirne was fought during the First Balkan War, beginning in mid-November 1912 and ending on 26 March 1913 with the capture of Edirne by the Bulgarian 2nd Army....
began on 11 of March with the forces in the Eastern Sector tasked with the main attack. After three days of heavy fighting the fortress fell and Sukru Pasha surrendered to generals Nikola Ivanov
Nikola Ivanov
Nikola Ivanov was a Bulgarian general, Chief of the Headquarters of the Bulgarian Army between 10 May 1894 and 29 November 1896, Minister of war between 29 November 1896 - 30 January 1899...
and Georgi Vazov. The Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
was left with no choice, asked and received a second armistice on 3 April. This marked the end of the Bulgarian military operations in the war.
Second Balkan War
With the end of the First Balkan WarFirst Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
Bulgaria was forced to start transferring its forces immediately to Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
and the old border with Serbia. The Second Army was deployed in Aegean Macedonia
Aegean Macedonia
Aegean Macedonia is a term that refers to the Greek region of Macedonia. It is currently mainly used in the Republic of Macedonia, including in the irredentist context of a United Macedonia. The term is also used in Bulgaria as the more common synonym for Greek Macedonia, without the connotations...
against the entire Greek Army. It's composition had changed significantly and now included two half-strength divisions and three infantry brigades, two of which had been recently raised from young untrained and inexperienced men from the territories ceded by the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. On 16 June the army had the following order of battle:
| Battalions | Squadrons | Artillery Batteries | Men | Rifles | Cannons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Staff | 713 | |||||
| 3rd "Balkan" Infantry Division | 16 | 12 | 22,615 | 19,059 | 69 | |
| 11th "Mixed" Infantry Division | 11 | 6 | 24,399 | 20,110 | 68 | |
| 1/10 Infantry Brigade | 8 | 3 | 10,430 | 8,100 | 12 | |
| Drama Brigade | 8 | 4 | 8,336 | 6,820 | 8 | |
| Seres Brigade | 8 | 4 | 8,583 | 6,945 | 18 | |
| Army Units | 6 | 10 | 8 | |||
| Total | 57 | 10 | 37 | 75,076 | 61,034 | 175 |
On 17 June, following the attack of the Bulgarian Fourth Army
Fourth Army (Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Fourth Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II....
against the Serbians, the Second Army began advancing against the Greek forces. The 11th Division and the Serres Brigade drove off the Greek troops around Pravishte
Eleftheroupoli
Eleftheroupoli is a town and a former municipality in the Kavala peripheral unit, East Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pangaio, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. At the 2001 census, the municipal unit's population was...
with ease, as the main Greek forces had retired to the right bank of the Struma a few days earlier. In the center of the line the 1/10 Brigade and the 2/3 Brigade also advanced and began fortifying their positions around Kukush
Kilkis
Kilkis is an industrial city in Central Macedonia, Greece. As of 2001 there were 17,430 people living in the city proper, 24,812 people living in the municipal unit, and 56,336 in the municipality of Kilkis. It is also the capital city of the regional unit of Kilkis.-Name:Kilkis is located in a...
and Negovan. Meanwhile the 3/3 Brigade attacked the weak Serbian vanguards west of Lake Dojran and captured Gevgelija
Gevgelija
Gevgelija is a town with a population of 15,685 located in the very southeast of the Republic of Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border with Greece , the point which links the motorway from Skopje and three other former Yugoslav capitals with...
. The Army remained dispersed on a 96 kilometer long front which severely hampered the coordination and cooperation between its forces, leaving general Ivanov
Nikola Ivanov
Nikola Ivanov was a Bulgarian general, Chief of the Headquarters of the Bulgarian Army between 10 May 1894 and 29 November 1896, Minister of war between 29 November 1896 - 30 January 1899...
with no reserves.
During the initial Bulgarian advanced the Greek Army had not finished its concentration but once the direction of the advance was clear and it became evident that the Bulgarian Fourth Army was seriously engaged in the struggle with the Serbians the Greek Headquarters decided to go on the offensive. For that purpose the Greeks had 8 infantry divisions and a cavalry brigade, almost their entire army. On 19 of June they advanced with 2 divisions(6 regiments) on a wide front against Kukush
Kilkis
Kilkis is an industrial city in Central Macedonia, Greece. As of 2001 there were 17,430 people living in the city proper, 24,812 people living in the municipal unit, and 56,336 in the municipality of Kilkis. It is also the capital city of the regional unit of Kilkis.-Name:Kilkis is located in a...
where the Bulgarian 2nd Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Division(2 regiments) had fortified its positions. The fighting was heavy but the Bulgarians managed to hold the advance temporarily which convinced the Greek Headquarters to throw even more forces in the fight and outflank the Bulgarians. By 21 of June the 2/3 Brigade couldn't cope with the crushing numerical superiority of its opponents and the arriving reinforcements from the Serres Brigade failed to avert the defeat. This forced the Bulgarians to retreat. The situation on the other sectors of the Second Army also deteriorated rapidly. Parts of the 3/3 Brigade were defeated at Kalinovo by the Greek 10th division and the 1/10 Brigade, supported by parts of the Drama Brigade, was defeated at Lachanas
Lachanas
Lachanas is a village and a former municipality in the Thessaloniki regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Lagkadas, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 3,779 . The seat of the municipality was in Xylopoli....
by thee Greek 1st and 6th divisions. After the defeat at the Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
Battle of Kilkis-Lahanas
The Battle of Kilkis–Lahanas took place during the Second Balkan War between Greece and Bulgaria for the town of Kilkis in Macedonia. The battle lasted three days from 19 to 21 June 1913 and ended with a Greek victory.-Background:...
the Bulgarians retired to the north. On the right wing of the Second Army the 3/3 Infantry Brigade had dug in south of Dojran
Dojran
Dojran was a city located on the western shore of Dojran Lake in the south-eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Today, it is collective name for two villages that exist on the territory of the ruined city: Nov Dojran and Star Dojran, which contains both old ruins and recent construction,...
in an attempt to hold the Greek 10th Division. The Bulgarian Command order the 2/6 Infantry Brigade to reinforce the positions but the Greeks pressed two more divisions in the fight and once again compelled the Bulgarians to retreat on 23 June.
The Second Army was now given the task to protect the Dojran
Dojran
Dojran was a city located on the western shore of Dojran Lake in the south-eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Today, it is collective name for two villages that exist on the territory of the ruined city: Nov Dojran and Star Dojran, which contains both old ruins and recent construction,...
-Strumitsa road and the Rupel Gorge that were vital for the rear of the Bulgarian 4th Army. For that purpose the army was divided in two - the 3/3 and 2/6 infantry brigades under the commander of the 6th Bdin Division were to defend the first direction and the Serres, Drama, 2/3 and 1/10 brigades under the commander of the 3rd Division were to guard the Gorge. The 11th Infantry Division was left to guard the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
coast between the Struma and the Mesta
Mesta
The Mesta was a powerful association of sheep holders in the medieval Kingdom of Castile....
. The Greek Army divided its forces accordingly one group consisting of the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 10th divisions and the cavalry brigade operating against Strumitsa and another one consisting of the 1st, 6th and 7th divisions tasked with demonstrative actions in the Rupel Gorge. The numerical superiority of the Greeks and their artillery proved decisive and on 26 June they took Strumitsa outflanking the Bulgarins at Ruppel and forcing their retreat. The Second Army however prevented a disaster by managing to hold its positions long enough for the 4th Army to conduct its own retreat.
The Serbians and the Greeks now established direct contact with each other and planned a joint offensive, hoping to link up at Tsarevo Selo
Delcevo
Delčevo is a small town in the eastern mountainous part of the Republic of Macedonia. It is the municipal seat of the eponymous municipality. The town is named after revolutionary Goce Delčev.-Demographics:Delčevo has 11,500 residents....
and destroy the Bulgarian 4th and 2nd armies. The Serbians were to attack at Kalimantsi while the main forces of the Greek Army - 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th Division, was to advance against Gorna Dzhumaia
Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad is а city in southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Province, with a population of about 74,302 . It lies on the banks of the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River....
with the remaining divisions covering their flanks.
The Bulgarian Second Army was in no condition to hold the Greek advance as it had suffered heavy casualties in the previous battles and a cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
outbreak further reduced its strength. In addition the news of the Romanian and Ottoman mobilization reduced the morale of the soldiers. Under such conditions by 11 July the Greek forces had managed to advance up to the northern exit of the Kresna Gorge
Kresna Gorge
The Kresna Gorge is a stunning steep valley in southwestern Bulgaria. The Struma River, which stems off of Vitosha mountains, is what formed this spectacular site. The gorge is rich in biodiversity, which may be in danger of the project to build the Struma Motorway, which is part of Trans European...
but the decisive victory they had planned was not achieved as the Serbians were defeated at the Battle of Kalimanci and the Greek forces themselves had overextended their supply lines. The Bulgarian Second Army managed to conduct a fighting retreat, reaching height 1378. On 15 July that positioned was abandoned and the forces retired north Gorna Dzhumaia
Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad is а city in southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Province, with a population of about 74,302 . It lies on the banks of the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River....
where the front finally stabilized.
The Bulgarian High Command now planned to go on the offensive against the Greeks for the first time since the beginning of the war. The Bulgarian 4th and 5th armies had been placed under the overall command of general Mihail Savov
Mihail Savov
Mihail Savov was a Bulgarian general, twice Minister of Defence , second in command of the Bulgarian army during the Balkan Wars....
and on 14 of July the Second Army was also added to the army group. the defeat of the Serbians allowed the Bulgarians to concentrate large parts of the 4th Army , the entire 2nd Army and fresh units of the 1st Army against the Greek Army. General Savov could count on 110 battalions, 10 squadrons and 40 artillery batteries against the 84 battalions 12 squadrons and 37 artillery batteries of the Greeks. The plan was to pin down the Serbian armies in front of the Bulgarian 4th Army while the main Bulgarian forces attacked the flanks of the Greek Army in an effort to completely encircle it.
The operation began on 15 of July with successful Bulgarian advances on both flanks and in the center. General Vasil Kutinchev
Vasil Kutinchev
Vasil Ivanov Kutinchev was a Bulgarian officer. He began his military career in 1879 after graduating from the Military School in Sofia...
, who replaced general Ivanov as commander of the 2nd Army on 16 of July, used the situation to retake height 1378 in the center of the front and exerting pressure on the Greeks who were transferring part of their forces from the center in order to strengthen their flanks. The greatest threat for the Bulgarians however came from the Greek 2nd and 4th divisions which attacked between 15 and 17 of July the right wing of the Second Army in an effort to utilize a gap that had opened between it and the 4th Army and eventually join hands with the Serbians at Tsarevo Selo
Delcevo
Delčevo is a small town in the eastern mountainous part of the Republic of Macedonia. It is the municipal seat of the eponymous municipality. The town is named after revolutionary Goce Delčev.-Demographics:Delčevo has 11,500 residents....
. The Greek advance however was halted and the reorganized right wing of the Second Army continued its attacks against the left wing of the Greeks in the Kresna Gorge
Kresna Gorge
The Kresna Gorge is a stunning steep valley in southwestern Bulgaria. The Struma River, which stems off of Vitosha mountains, is what formed this spectacular site. The gorge is rich in biodiversity, which may be in danger of the project to build the Struma Motorway, which is part of Trans European...
. The Serbians also tried to assist but their attacks were repulsed by the 7th Rila Division of the Bulgarian 4th Army.
King Constantine realized that his army was placed in a very difficult situation and his so far uncompromising attitude towards Bulgarian offers for a ceasefire gave way to a more yielding attitude. He admitted that his forces were reaching the limits of their physical and morale endurance and asked his prime minister Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos
Eleftherios Venizelos was an eminent Greek revolutionary, a prominent and illustrious statesman as well as a charismatic leader in the early 20th century. Elected several times as Prime Minister of Greece and served from 1910 to 1920 and from 1928 to 1932...
to reach a ceasefire agreement as soon as possible.
By the 17 of July the Bulgarians had achieved success with their right flank advancing with between 15 and 18 kilometers in three days and the Greeks heavily engaged in the center and on their right flank. The advance was to continue on 18 of July but the Greek king managed to obtained the ceasefire he and the Bulgarian delegation in Bucharest
Bucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
desired before any further military actions were undertaken.
The army was demobilized on 29 of July, one day after the signing of the Treaty of Bucharest.
First World War
Only two years after the end of the Second Balkan WarSecond Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
Bulgaria entered World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
on the side of the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
. The Bulgarian Army began mobilizing on 9 of September(23 of September) 1915 and the three field armies were once again activated.
Serbian Campaign
On 24 of August(6 September) 1915 at the German military headquarters in PleßPszczyna
Pszczyna is a town in southern Poland with 26,827 inhabitants within the immediate gmina rising to 50,121 inhabitants in the powiat, which includes the town of Pszczyna, itself, Brzeźce , Czarków , Ćwiklice , Jankowice , Łąka , Piasek , Poręba , Rudołtowice , Studzionka , Studzienice , Wisła...
Bulgaria and Germany signed a treaty of alliance and a military convention that laid the plan for the conquest of Serbia
Serbian Campaign (World War I)
The Serbian Campaign was fought from late July 1914, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia at the outset of the First World War, until late 1915, when the Macedonian Front was formed...
and included Austria-Hungary as a third party,.
In accordance with the said agreements Bulgaria concentrated against Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
its First Army, as part of Army Group Mackensen and its Second Army which remained under the direct control of the Bulgarian High Command.
The Second Army under lieutenant general
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Todorov
Georgi Todorov (general)
Georgi Stoyanov Todorov was a Bulgarian General who fought in the Russo-Turkish War , Serbo-Bulgarian War , Balkan Wars and First World War .-Biography:At the age of 19 he volunteered in the Bulgarian Corps during the Russo-Turkish...
finished its concentration in the Kyustendil
Kyustendil
Kyustendil is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of Kyustendil Province, with a population of 44 416 . Kyustendil is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley, 90 km southwest of Sofia...
- Dupnitsa - Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad is а city in southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Province, with a population of about 74,302 . It lies on the banks of the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River....
area by 30 of September. Its order of battle was as follows:
| Battalions | Squadrons | Artillery Batteries | Men | Rifles | Machine Guns | Cannons | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Army Staff | 2,209 | 554 | |||||
| 3rd "Balkan" Infantry Division | 23 | 1 | 15 | 40,922 | 20,833 | 24 | 60 |
| 7th Rila Infantry Division | 20 | 1 | 27 | 41,321 | 22,259 | 20 | 114 |
| Cavalry Division | 16 | 2 | 4,258 | 2,826 | 8 | ||
| Border Guards | 3 | 2,705 | 2,205 | ||||
| Opalchenie Regiments | 4 | 2,487 | 2,169 | ||||
| Etappe Regiments | 8 | 4,713 | 2,129 | ||||
| Army Supply Services | 882 | 120 | |||||
| Total | 58 | 18 | 44 | 99,497 | 53,145 | 52 | 182 |
The Serbians could oppose these forces with their Macedonian forces under general Damian Popovic. The total strength was 44 battalions with 16 batteries or in other words some 41,250 riflemen, 78 cannons and 38 machine guns. By 30 of September however only 31 battalions with 11 batteries or 29,600 riflemen, 54 cannons and 24 machine guns were on the boarder with Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
, the rest were guarding the boarder with Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. The Serbians adopted a passive defense approach, hoping that their insufficient forces will hold out long enough for the Entente to reinforce them with the troops that were already landing in Salonika.
The objectives of the Bulgarian Second Army were to cut the communication and supply lines between Macedonia and Serbia, to prevent a retreat of the main Serbian forces to Macedonia and to repel any Entente attempts to reinforce the Serbians from the south.
On 1 October(14 October) 1915 Bulgaria declared war on Serbia and the Second Army was ordered to begin its attack drive towardsOvche Pole. The weak Serbian force were quickly defeated and forced to retreat from the boarder area with the Bulgarian forces taking Tsarevo Selo
Delcevo
Delčevo is a small town in the eastern mountainous part of the Republic of Macedonia. It is the municipal seat of the eponymous municipality. The town is named after revolutionary Goce Delčev.-Demographics:Delčevo has 11,500 residents....
and Kriva Palanka
Kriva Palanka
Kriva Palanka is a town located in the northeastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. It has 14.558 inhabitants. The town of Kriva Palanka is the seat of Kriva Palanka Municipality which has almost 21.000 inhabitants....
followed on 16 of October by the entry of the 2/3 Infantry Brigade in Vranje
Vranje
Vranje is a city and municipality located in southern Serbia. In 2011 the city has total population of 82,782, while the urban area has 54,456...
. On 6 of October(20 October) the Bulgarian 3rd Division overwhelmed the Serbian positions at Stracin which allowed it to seize Kumanovo
Kumanovo
Kumanovo is a city in the Republic of Macedonia and is the seat of Kumanovo Municipality which is the largest municipality in the country. Municipal institutions include a city council, mayor and other administrative bodies.-Name:...
. This practically isolated Serbia from Macedonia and cut the communication and supply lines with Salonika. On 9 of October after a brief fight the Bulgarians took Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
. At the same time in the fighting near Krivolak and Strumitsa for the first time French forces of the 156th division aided their Serbian allies by gradually replacing and allowing them to be transferred further to the west.
On 10 of October concerned by the Serbian and Entente efforts to join their forces in Macedonia from the North and the South, the Bulgarian High Command divided the Second Army in two operational groups. The Northern Group was to operate along the valley of the river Morava and in the direction of the Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
plain while the Southern Group had to advance along the Vardar
Vardar
The Vardar or Axios is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is long, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of river is ....
against the French and British. The army was deemed too weak for these tasks and had to be reinforced by the 11th Macedonian Infantry Division , the 5th Danube Infantry Division that joined it by the middle of October and latter with the 2nd Thracian Infantry Division. This allowed the Northern Group to repel several Serbian attacks against Gnjilane
Gnjilane
Gnjilane or Gjilan is a city and municipality in eastern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the District of Gjilan. It is famous for having been recorded the lowest temperature in Kosovo with on 25 January 1963.-Name and history:...
and Kačanik
Kacanik
Kačanik or Kaçanik is a town and municipality in southern Kosovo, in the Uroševac district. The municipality covers an area of , including the town of Kačanik and 31 villages. It has a population of approximately 33,454...
in the south the Bulgarians waited for reinforcements and fought several battles with the French around Krivolak and the British south of Strumitsa.
With the fall of Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
to the north the first phase of the campaign against Serbia ended and the second and last began. The Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
decided to attempt an encirclement of the Serbian Army at the Kosovo Pole. The Second Army was to take part with its Northern Operations Group while it remained on the defensive in the south. The operation lasted for several weeks and on 10 November (23 November) Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
fell. The attempted encirclement however failed and part of the Serbian Army managed to withdraw through Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
to the Adriatic
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
coast due to the slow advance from the north which allowed them to concentrate bigger forces against the Bulgarian Second Army and considerably reduce its speed. The Central Powers were content only with perusing them with parts of the Second Army and the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army . On 17 November Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
was taken but all contact between the Bulgarian and Serbian forces was lost. Gradually the rest of western Macedonia was occupied and by December the Bulgarians entered Monastri
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
where the Serbian Campaign ended.
After the fall of Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
and Prizren
Prizren
Prizren is a historical city located in southern Kosovo. It is the administrative center of the eponymous municipality and district.The city has a population of around 131,247 , mostly Albanians...
the Bulgarian High Command again turned its attention to the south and began transferring reinforcements for operations against the Entente forces that had grown to as much as 130,000 men. General Maurice Sarrail
Maurice Sarrail
Maurice-Paul-Emmanuel Sarrail was a French general of the First World War. Sarrail endeared himself to the political elite of the Third Republic through his openly socialist views, all the more conspicuous in contrast to the Catholics, conservatives and monarchists who dominated the French Army...
realized that the defeat of the Serbian Army made his positions untenable in the face of the whole Bulgarian First and Second armies and began to withdraw parts of his army. By December the Bulgarian Second Army undertook a major offensive against the retreating allies and after several engagements with the French and British 10th (Irish) Division at Kosturino reached the Greek boarder. At this point Vardar Macedonia
Vardar Macedonia
Vardar Macedonia is an area in the north of the Macedonia . The borders of the area are those of the Republic of Macedonia. It covers an area of...
was completely cleared of Entente presence but the Second Army several times received warnings from the Bulgarian High Command that any crossing of the Greek boarder was absolutely forbidden. This allow the Allies to safely retreat to Salonika.
For the entire campaign in 1915 the casualties suffered by the Second Bulgarian Army were 4,084 killed, 17,642 wounded, 999 dead from disease and 1,888 missing or a total of around 24,613.
Macedonian Front
In early 1916 the Bulgarians and Germans agree to postpone any plans for an attack of Salonika and dig in along the boarder with Greece. The Entente used the time to reinforce and entrench around the town. Once it became evident that the Bulgarians were not going to advance the Allied forces themselves began moving up to the Greek boarder and by the end of May contact between the opposing forces was reestablished.The Bulgarian Second Army which took up position along the Belasitsa range now consisted of the 7th Rila, 11th Macedonian Infantry Division and the 3/2 Infantry Brigade. The 5th Danube and the rest of the 2nd Thracian Infantry Division had been assigned to the German Eleventh Army
11th Army (Germany)
The 11th Army was a World War I and a World War II field army.-World War I:The 11th Army was formed in early 1915. It briefly fought on the Western Front during the Battle of Ypres, holding the line against the allied attack...
. Contact with the Allies in this part of the front was also reestablished. The Bulgarian High Command realized that if the Entente occupied the Southern exit of the Ruppel Pass and took the fortress there the Second Army wouldn't be able to advance south along the Struma and the threat of an Allied attempt to penetrate into Bulgaria itself would grow significantly. With this in mind the 7th Rila Division was ordered to forestall these events by occupying Ruppel fortress first. On 26 of May the Bulgarian forces crosses the boarder, meeting no opposition from the Greek boarder guards. By the next day the 7th Division was in complete control of the entire Ruppel Pass and now controlled all avenues of approach from Demirhisar
Sidirokastro
Sidirokastro is a town and a former municipality in the Serres regional unit, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Sintiki, of which it is the seat and a municipal unit. It is built near the fertile valley of the river Strymonas, on the bank of the...
to the valley of the Struma. As soon as the operation was over the Bulgarians began fortifying their new positions.
The Bulgarian forces however still remained scattered and had to cover a front of almost 600 kilometers. On a line between Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and Lake Dojran the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
had arrayed the Bulgarian First Army and the German Eleventh Army
11th Army (Germany)
The 11th Army was a World War I and a World War II field army.-World War I:The 11th Army was formed in early 1915. It briefly fought on the Western Front during the Battle of Ypres, holding the line against the allied attack...
(which consisted mostly of Bulgarian formations) under Army Group Mackensen. From there to the delta
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
of the Maritsa
Maritsa
The Maritsa or Evros , ) is, with a length of 480 km, the longest river that runs solely in the interior of the Balkans. It has its origin in the Rila Mountains in Western Bulgaria, flowing southeast between the Balkan and Rhodope Mountains, past Plovdiv and Parvomay to Edirne, Turkey...
the front was guarded by the Bulgarian Second Army and the independent 10th Aegean Infantry division. The Bulgarian High Command realized the difficulties involved in holding such a long front and planned measures to improve the situation. The expected entry of Romania
Kingdom of Romania
The Kingdom of Romania was the Romanian state based on a form of parliamentary monarchy between 13 March 1881 and 30 December 1947, specified by the first three Constitutions of Romania...
in the war on the side of the Entente provided an additional incentive and an eventual German blessing for a Bulgarian offensive on the Macedonian Front.
The plan was to strike on both Allied flanks in order to cut their communication lines with the Italians in Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
and seize the Drama
Drama, Greece
Drama , the ancient Drabescus , is a town and municipality in northeastern Greece. Drama is the capital of the peripheral unit of Drama which is part of the East Macedonia and Thrace periphery. The town is the economic center of the municipality , which in turn comprises 53.5 percent of the...
- Giumurdzhina
Komotini
Komotini is a city in Thrace, northeastern Greece. It is the capital of the region of East Macedonia and Thrace and of the Rhodope regional unit. It is also the administrative center of the Rhodope-Evros super-prefecture. The city is home to the Democritus University of Thrace, founded in 1973...
railway. The second objective was given to the Bulgarian Second Army and the 10th Aegean Division. for the operation general Todorov
Georgi Todorov (general)
Georgi Stoyanov Todorov was a Bulgarian General who fought in the Russo-Turkish War , Serbo-Bulgarian War , Balkan Wars and First World War .-Biography:At the age of 19 he volunteered in the Bulgarian Corps during the Russo-Turkish...
could rely on 58 battalions, 116 machine guns, 57 artillery batteries and 5 cavalry squadrons in his army and an additional 25 battalions, 24 machine guns, 31 batteries and 5 squadrons in the 10th Division.
The Struma Offensive began on 18 August with the 7th Rila, 11th Macedonian Division and the 3/2 Infantry Brigade and 10th Division advancing on a 230 kilometer long front. For 6 days the Bulgarian forces achieved all their objectives in the face of weak Greek and French resistance. The depth of the advance reached 80-90 kilometers and an area 4,000 square kilometers was occupied. Most importantly however the Macedonian Front was shortened with 100 - 120 kilometers and the Greek IV Army Corps, that was positioned in the area, was disbanded, its troops and armament interned by the Germans in Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
.
On the right Bulgarian flank however the advance of the Bulgarian First Army soon stalled and was called off. The Entente now planned an offensive
Monastir Offensive
Monastir Offensive was an Allied military operation against the forces of the Central Powers during World War I, intended to break the deadlock on the Macedonian Front by forcing the capitulation of Bulgaria and relieving the pressure on Romania. The offensive took the shape of a large battle and...
against it in order to support the hard pressed Romanians and knock out Bulgaria out of the war. While the main blow was directed against the First Army the British were tasked with secondary operations against the Bulgarian second Army that were designed to pin down as many Bulgarian troops as possible.
In the middle of September, as the situation of the Bulgarian First Army deteriorated, the commander of the Bulgarian Second Army general Todorov
Georgi Todorov (general)
Georgi Stoyanov Todorov was a Bulgarian General who fought in the Russo-Turkish War , Serbo-Bulgarian War , Balkan Wars and First World War .-Biography:At the age of 19 he volunteered in the Bulgarian Corps during the Russo-Turkish...
ordered the 7th Rila Division to take positions for an attack over the Struma river, in order to assist the hard pressed Bulgarians and Germans west of the Vardar
Vardar
The Vardar or Axios is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is long, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of river is ....
. The Bulgarian high command however refused to give permission for the attack. This hesitation allowed the British to consolidated their positions on the left bank of the Struma around the village of Karacaköy
Monokklisia
Monokklisia is a village in Kapetan Mitrousi, Serres Prefecture, Greece. It is best known for the custom Gynaikokratia....
on 30 of September. On 3 of October the 10th (Irish) Division attacked the Bulgarian positions in the village of Yenikoy that were defended by the 13th Rila Regiment of the 7th Division. The battle lasted for the entire day and the Bulgarians reinforced by the 14th Macedonian Regiment and 17th Artillery Regiment twice retook the village after fierce bayonet struggle. During the night, after a third and last attack the village was occupied b the Irish division. Casualties on both sides were heavy due to the accurate artillery and machine gun fire. After the battle the Bulgarian 13th Regiment was reorganized to a three battalion strength instead of the usual four battalions. After 4 of October the Bulgarians set up positions on the nearby heights to the east while the right flank of the 7th Rila division remained in the valley to protect the Rupel Pass. In the middle of October and the beginning of November the Bulgarians were reinforced by two Ottoman divisions which freed some troops that could now be send to assist in the fighting against the Allies west of the Vardar
Vardar
The Vardar or Axios is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is long, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of river is ....
. From this point onwards no large operations were conducted on the Struma front until the end of the offensive.
For much of 1917 the Struma front was passive as the main Entente efforts were directed against the Eleventh and First armies. In addition any operations were hampered by the often too cold or too hot weather and the spread of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
. The only more significant change was that the commander of the Second Army was replaced by general Ivan Lukov.
By 1918 the Bulgarian Army was suffering from chronic shortages of food, ammunition and low morale
Morale
Morale, also known as esprit de corps when discussing the morale of a group, is an intangible term used to describe the capacity of people to maintain belief in an institution or a goal, or even in oneself and others...
. Desertion, including in the Second army, became more frequent. The Entente was well aware of the crisis in the Bulgarian Army and planned to break the Macedonian Front with a large offensive again directed against the Eleventh and First armies. On 14 of September the Serbians and French attacked at Dobro Pole
Battle of Dobro Pole
The Battle of Dobro Pole was a World War I battle, fought on 15 September 1918. The battle resulted in a decisive Entente victory, with a defeated Bulgaria left to sign an armistice, which removed it from World War I....
and achieved a breakthrough. Two days latter the British and Gree attacked the Bulgarian First Army at Doiran
Battle of Doiran
The third Battle of Doiran was fought from 18 September to 19 September 1918, with the Greeks and the British assaulting the positions of the Bulgarian First Army near Dojran Lake. The battle was part of World War I and took place in the Balkan Theatre...
but suffered a heavy defeat. The commander of the First Army general Stefan Nerezov
Stefan Nerezov
Stefan Mikhailov Nerezov was a Bulgarian General and Chief of the Bulgarian Army Staff.-Biography:Stefan Nerezov was born in Sevlievo, at the time part of the Ottoman Empire...
proposed a counter attack with his forces and the Second Bulgarian Army but after some hesitation was refused permission. So for much of the Entente offensive the Second Army, with its 48 battalions, 251 cannons and 462 machine guns, limited itself with sending small reinforcements to the First Army. Nonetheless the army continued to hold the Struma line and foiled a Greek attempt to capture Serres
Serres
Serres is a city in Greece, seat of the Serres prefecture.Serres may also refer to:Places:* Serres, Germany, a part of Wiernsheim in Baden-WürttembergIn France:* Serres, Aude in the Aude département...
, gaining a few canons as trophies. The overall situation however frorced the Bulgarian government ask the Entente for an armistice and general Ivan Lukov was dispatched to Salonika for the negotiations with general Franchet d'Esperey. The talks reached a successful conclusion and the armistice was signed on 29 September 1918. This marked the end of Bulgarian participation the Great War.
The Second Army pulled back to the interior of the country and was demobilized on 16 of October.
Commanders
- Lieutenant General Georgi TodorovGeorgi Todorov (general)Georgi Stoyanov Todorov was a Bulgarian General who fought in the Russo-Turkish War , Serbo-Bulgarian War , Balkan Wars and First World War .-Biography:At the age of 19 he volunteered in the Bulgarian Corps during the Russo-Turkish...
(October 1915 - February 1917) - Major General Ivan Lukov (February 1917 - October 1918)
World War II for the Axis
Throughout 1940 and 1941, the Kingdom of BulgariaKingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
, under Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Boris III, allied itself with Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, entered the regained Southern Dobrudja, and captured Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
, and much of Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
in the process. In the Bulgarian Army, there were five field armies and some 30 divisions.
In the summer 1941 the Second Army with the 10th Rodopi Division and the 2nd Boarder Brigade occupied Western Thrace
Western Thrace
Western Thrace or simply Thrace is a geographic and historical region of Greece, located between the Nestos and Evros rivers in the northeast of the country. Together with the regions of Macedonia and Epirus, it is often referred to informally as northern Greece...
and parts of Aegean Macedonia
Aegean Macedonia
Aegean Macedonia is a term that refers to the Greek region of Macedonia. It is currently mainly used in the Republic of Macedonia, including in the irredentist context of a United Macedonia. The term is also used in Bulgaria as the more common synonym for Greek Macedonia, without the connotations...
. The army set up its headquarters at Xanthi
Xanthi
Xanthi ; is a city in Thrace, northeastern Greece. It is the capital of the Xanthi peripheral unit of the periphery of East Macedonia and Thrace.-History:...
. The defence of the Aegean
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
coast however required more specific measures and by the end of the year the Second Army and its units moved to the old boarders of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
and were replaced by a special Belomorski (Aegean) Detachment and the 11th division of the First Army.
World War II for the Allies
In early September 1944, the rapidly advancing Red ArmyRed Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
reached the northern border of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. In an attempt to prevent the entry of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
in the country on 26 of August the government of Ivan Bagryanov declared Bulgarian neutrality in the German-soviet war. This measure was not enough and soon his government fell and on 5 of September the USSR declared war on the country. Three days latter the new government of Konstantin Muraviev
Konstantin Muraviev
Konstantin Vladov Muraviev was a leading member of the Agrarian People's Union who briefly served as Prime Minister of Bulgaria near the end of Bulgarian involvement in the Second World War...
declared war on Germany in vain as the Red Army entered the country and soon the prime minister was overthrown and replaced with the Fatherland Front
Fatherland Front (Bulgaria)
The Fatherland Front was originally a Bulgarian political resistance movement during World War II. The Zveno movement, the communist Bulgarian Workers Party, a wing of the Agrarian Union and the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers Party, were all part of the FF...
's government which immediately concluded a ceasefire with the soviets and prepared the Bulgarian Army for operations against the forces of Germany.
The German Army Group E
Army Group E
Army Group E was a German Army Group active during World War II.Army Group E was created on 1 January 1943 from the 12th Army...
began its withdrawal from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
to Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
with its 350,000 men. A successful conclusion of the retreat would allow the Germans to create a powerful concentration of almost 570,000 men in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
that would require the combined actions of the Bulgarian Army, the 3rd Ukrainian Front
3rd Ukrainian Front
3rd Ukrainian Front was a Front of the Red Army during World War II.It was founded on 20 October 1943, on the basis of a Stavka order of October 16, 1943, by renaming the Southwestern Front. It included 1st Guards Army, 8th Guards Army, 6th, 12th, and 46th Armies and 17th Air Army...
and ` People's Liberation Army of Yugoslavia in order for it to be defeated.
The Bulgarians placed under the battle order of the 3rd Ukrainian Front
3rd Ukrainian Front
3rd Ukrainian Front was a Front of the Red Army during World War II.It was founded on 20 October 1943, on the basis of a Stavka order of October 16, 1943, by renaming the Southwestern Front. It included 1st Guards Army, 8th Guards Army, 6th, 12th, and 46th Armies and 17th Air Army...
were tasked with advancing in three directions - Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
- Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
- Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
, Kyustendil
Kyustendil
Kyustendil is a town in the far west of Bulgaria, the capital of Kyustendil Province, with a population of 44 416 . Kyustendil is situated in the southern part of the Kyustendil Valley, 90 km southwest of Sofia...
- Skopje
Skopje
Skopje is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Macedonia with about a third of the total population. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre...
and Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad
Blagoevgrad is а city in southwestern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Blagoevgrad Province, with a population of about 74,302 . It lies on the banks of the Blagoevgradska Bistritsa River....
- Veles
Veles (city)
Veles is a city in the center of the Republic of Macedonia on the Vardar river. The city of Veles is the seat of Veles Municipality.-Name:The city's name was Vylosa in Ancient Greek and before the Balkan Wars, it was a township with the name Köprülü in the Üsküp sandjak, Ottoman empire for 600...
. The Second Army under major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Cyril Stanchev was to attack in the first direction and deliver strike against the Germans.
The Nis Operations lasted from 8 to 18 of October 1944. The objective of the Second Army was to defeat the forces that were deployed around Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
and thus cut the retreat routes along the river Morava. For the operation the army consisted of eight units - 4th, 6th, 9th and 12th infantry divisions along with the 1st Guards Infantry division, 2nd Cavalry Division, the Armored Brigade and 4th Boarder Brigade.
Only two days after the operation began the Bulgarians penetrated in the Morava valley and on 14 of October captured Niš
Niš
Niš is the largest city of southern Serbia and third-largest city in Serbia . According to the data from 2011, the city of Niš has a population of 177,972 inhabitants, while the city municipality has a population of 257,867. The city covers an area of about 597 km2, including the urban area,...
. In the area around the village of Meroshina the Bulgarians defeated the main forces of the 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen
The 7th SS Volunteer Mountain Division Prinz Eugen. was formed on March 1942 from Volksdeutsche volunteers from Vojvodina, Croatia, Hungary and Romania, it was initially called the SS-Freiwilligen-Division Prinz Eugen....
allowing the Army to complete its objectives by reaching Podujevo
Podujevo
Podujevo or Podujeva is a town and municipality located in the district of Pristina of north-eastern Kosovo.Podujevo is situated in a strategic position due to a regional motorway and railroad passing through it which links surrounding regions. Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, is located some to...
and preparing for further offensive actions.
The Kosovo Operation was the logical continuation Niš Operation. It began on 25 of October and ended on 30 of November. The objective of the Second Army was to seize the Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
plain which would mark the end of the first phase of the war against Germany.
Despite the 1st Guards Infantry division and the 2nd Cavalry Division transferred to other areas, the Bulgarians could still count on their numerical superiority, the support of the Soviet Air force and cooperation from the Yugoslav Partisans. The attack began on 25 of October with a decisive penetration of the German lines around Podujevo
Podujevo
Podujevo or Podujeva is a town and municipality located in the district of Pristina of north-eastern Kosovo.Podujevo is situated in a strategic position due to a regional motorway and railroad passing through it which links surrounding regions. Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, is located some to...
. The advance was hampered by the strong German resistance and the onset of Winter but the Bulgarians managed to capture Pristina
Pristina
Pristina, also spelled Prishtina and Priština is the capital and largest city of Kosovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous municipality and district....
on 19 of November and enter Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
with their main forces.The Germans now retreated and were pursued by the Second Army which reached the Rashka - Novi Pazar
Novi Pazar
Novi Pazar is a city and municipality located in southwest Serbia, in the Raška District. According to the official census in 2011, number of inhabitants of municipality is 92,776, while the city itself has a population of 60,638...
line by the end of the month. This marked the end of the Kosovo Operation and the first phase of the Bulgarian participation in the war against Germany.
The Bulgarians and Soviets reached an agreement to use the Bulgarian First Army for the next phase of the war - the advance to Hungary
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
.
Sources
- Щаб на войската. Войната между България и Турция, vol. I ; Държавна печатница,София 1937
- Щаб на войската. Войната между България и Турция, vol. V, part 2 ; Държавна печатница,София 1930
- The participation of the Bulgarian Army in the Second World War (1941 - 1945) (in Bulgarian)