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Revision as of 19:15, 25 January 2010 editSerbia123 (talk | contribs)395 edits But it wasn't. The battle itself was fought by Serbs and French.← Previous edit Latest revision as of 04:08, 5 December 2024 edit undoUncleBourbon (talk | contribs)Extended confirmed users662 editsm Victors go on the left in infoboxes. 
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{{Short description|1918 battle in the Balkans Campaign of World War I}}
{{Infobox Military Conflict
{{Good article}}
|conflict=Battle of Dobro Pole
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
|partof= the ] (])
{{Infobox military conflict
|image=]
| conflict = Battle of Dobro Pole
|caption=Two Pronged Allied Offensive
| partof = the ] in the ] of ]
|date=September 15, 1918
| image = Ground Cover of the 21st infantry regiment on the Dobro Polje.png
|place=], ]
| image_size =
|result=Decisive Serbian-French victory
| caption = Ground Cover of the Serbian 21st Infantry Regiment at Dobro Pole (c. 1918)
|combatant1={{flagicon|Bulgaria|1878}} ]
| date = 15–18 September 1918
|combatant2={{flag|France}}<br>{{flagicon|Serbia|1882}} ]
| place = ] (present day ] and ])
|commander1={{flagicon|Bulgaria|1878}} ]
| coordinates = {{coord|41.035|N|21.885|E|region:GR|display=inline,title}}
|commander2={{flagicon|France}} ]<br>{{flagicon|Serbia|1882}} ]
| result = Allied victory
|strength1=26 battalions<br>146 artillery guns at the end
| combatant1 = {{plainlist|
|strength2=75 battalions<br>580 artillery guns
*''']:'''
|casualties1=
*{{flagcountry|FRA-3}}
|casualties2=
*{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Serbia}}
*{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Greece|state}}
}}
| combatant2 = {{plainlist|
*''']:'''
*{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Bulgaria}}
*{{flagcountry|German Empire}}
}}
| commander1 = {{plainlist|
*{{nobr|{{flagicon|FRA-3}} ]}}
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Serbia}} ]
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Serbia}} ]
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Serbia}} ]
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Greece|state}} ]
}}
| commander2 = {{plainlist|
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Bulgaria}} ]
*{{nobr|{{flagicon|German Empire}} ]}}
}}
| units1 = {{plainlist|
*''']'''
*'''{{flagcountry|FRA-3}}'''
}}
*11th Colonial Division
*]
*]
'''{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Serbia}}'''
*]{{refn|The Serbian armies were corps sized formations.{{sfn|Thomas|Babac|2001|pp=12–13}}|group=Note}}
*]
'''{{flagcountry|Kingdom of Greece|state}}''
*]
*]
*]
| units2 = *]{{refn|The 11th German Army consisted of Bulgarian soldiers commanded by German officers.{{sfn|Korsun|1939|p=95}}|group=Note}}
**]
**]
| strength1 = {{plainlist|
*{{flagicon|FRA-3}} 3 divisions
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Serbia}} 2 corps
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Greece|state}} 3 divisions<hr>
*566 guns
}}
| strength2 = {{plainlist|
*1 army
*158 artillery pieces
}}
| casualties1 = {{plainlist|
*{{flagicon|FRA-3}} 1,850 dead
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Serbia}} 200 dead
*{{flagicon|Kingdom of Greece|state}} 158 dead
}}
| casualties2 = {{plainlist|
*2,689 dead
*3,000 captured
*50 artillery pieces
}}
| campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Macedonian Front (World War I)}}
}} }}
{{Campaignbox Macedonian Front (World War I)}}


The '''Battle of Dobro Pole''' ({{langx|sr|Битка код Доброг Поља|Bitka kod Dobrog Polja}}; {{langx|el|Μάχη του Ντόμπρο Πόλε|Máchi tou Dóbro Póle}}), also known as the '''Breakthrough at Dobro Pole''' ({{langx|bg|Пробив при Добро Поле|Probiv pri Dobro Pole}}), was a ] battle fought between 15 and 18 September 1918. The battle was fought in the initial stage of the ], in the ]. On 15 September, a combined ] of Serbian, French and Greek troops attacked the Bulgarian-held trenches in ] ("Good Field"), at the time part of the ] (present-day ] and ]). The offensive and the preceding artillery preparation had devastating effects on Bulgarian morale, eventually leading to mass desertions.
The '''Battle of Dobro Pole''' was a ] battle, fought on September 15, 1918. The battle resulted in a decisive Entente victory, with a defeated ] left to sign an ], which removed it from World War I.


Despite being outnumbered and poorly equipped, certain Bulgarian units offered fierce resistance, delaying the ] advance in ]. However, the collapse of the front line enabled the Allies to assault Bulgarian positions from multiple directions and eventually quell the last pockets of resistance. The ]' defeat at the Dobro Pole played a role in the Bulgarian withdrawal from the war and opened the way for the subsequent capture of ].
The battle was fought at Dobro Pole, in present day ], which was claimed by ] and had been under Bulgarian occupation since 1915.


==Prelude== ==Prelude==
] mountain, where the battle and breakthrough took place]]
Once the Bulgarian advance into ] had been halted, conditions at the front deteriorated rapidly and political support for the war began to wane. ] had now achieved all its war aims, but was compelled to continue fighting in order to assist its ] allies. With little manpower available for farming, serious food shortages affected both ]s and ]s while rampant inflation damaged the economy. In 1917 food ]s broke out and ] propaganda became widely circulated.
The 28 June 1914, ] of Austro-Hungarian ] Archduke Franz Ferdinand precipitated ]'s declaration of war against ]. The conflict quickly attracted the involvement of all major European countries, pitting the ] against the ], and starting ].{{sfn|Albertini|1953|p=36}}{{sfn|Fischer|1967|p=73}}{{sfn|Willmott|2003|pp=11–15}}


Serbia was ultimately defeated during the autumn 1915 phase of the ], prompting France and Britain to transfer troops from the ] to ]. The ] was thus established to support the remnants of the Serbian army in their effort to conquer Vardar Macedonia.{{sfn|Hall|2010|pp=48–50}}
On June 17, 1917, Greece joined the war on the side of the Entente (having issued a declaration of war on 23 November 1916). In September 1918, the ] forces launched a two-pronged offensive into Bulgarian-occupied Macedonia.


On 17 August 1916, Bulgaria ], easily conquering all Greek territory east of the ], since the Greek Army was ordered not to resist by the pro-German ]. The surrender of territory recently won with difficulty in the ] of 1913 was the last straw for many supporters of ] politician ]. With Allied assistance, they launched a coup which secured Thessaloniki and most of Greek Macedonia, causing the ]. In June 1917, the ] gained full control of the country, immediately declaring war on the Central Powers and joining the ] operating on the Balkan Front. The Greek entry into the war, along with the 24 division reinforcements that the army had received in the spring of the same year, created a strategic advantage for the Entente.{{sfn|Falls|1933|pp=152–184}}{{sfn|Falls|1933|pp=208–230}}{{sfn|Falls|1933|pp=348–362}}
Bulgaria was able to defeat Britain and Greece at the ], but Serbo-French forces did not halt their advance, and the two forces finally met at Dobro Pole.


In late July 1918, Bulgarian ] ] sent German field marshal general ] a message regarding a rumored Entente offensive, and detailed Bulgaria's inability to adequately defend the Vardar portion of the front. Zhekov requested that Germany immediately reinforce the Balkan Front, hinting that Austria-Hungary would also be required to strengthen its positions in Albania. On 17 August, Hindenburg pledged to provide Bulgaria with support only once the situation on other fronts permitted it. Hindenburg's reluctance to support Bulgaria was also manifested by the early September redeployment of the last German '']'' battalion stationed in Macedonia back into Germany.{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|p=111}}
==The battle==
Bulgarian forces met a more powerful and larger army at Dobro Pole. The large majority of the ] consisted of 122nd French Infantry Division, 17th French Infantry Colonial Division and the Serb Shumadia Division in the first echelon and two Serbian divisions in the second echelon (Timok and Yugoslav). The battle started on 14 September with great artillery bombardment. Bulgarians prided themselves in not having lost any battles up to this point in the war, and ] decided to stay and fight. The ] companies, the 2nd and 3rd Bulgarian Infantry Divisions dug in. From 15 September to 21 September, the Bulgarians were surrounded. Outmanned and strategically inert, the Bulgarians were unable to stop the Allied advance. Even when asked to surrender, as victory was hopeless, the Bulgarians refused to give up, ignoring the Allied requests. The Allies continued to advance, and eventually their ]s inflicted devastating damage upon the Bulgarians, who soon were soundly defeated.


The Bulgarians, using information from escaped prisoners of war, determined that Entente forces would engage in hostile actions west of lake ], in ], Dobro Pole or Human. On 27 August, the 2nd and 3rd Bulgarian divisions stationed at Dobro Pole were ordered to make emergency preparations, as new evidence indicated a frontal assault on Dobro Pole along with a secondary attack on Human. By 7 September, Dobro Pole was reinforced by one machine gun company, six battalions and ten heavy ]s. General ] then stated that these measures made the defense of the front feasible. Von Scholtz had, however, failed to take into account the departure of Bulgarian chief of staff Nikola Zhekov and his subsequent replacement by ]. Widespread ] and ]s also plagued the Bulgarian troops, who refused to participate in fortification works. Poor rations and fatigue contributed to the low morale.{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=111–112}}
==Revolt==

After the defeat at Dobro Pole, other Bulgarian soldiers began to revolt, and the Bulgarian front lines were abandoned. The rebels headed towards ] in order to negotiate with the government. When the rebels reached Sofia, they were crushed by Bulgarian loyalists and ] troops.
A day prior to the Entente offensive, General ] laid out the final plan for the operation. The first phase consisted of a combined Franco-Serbian attack on the positions of the 2nd and 3rd Bulgarian Divisions, which was expected to create a breach of the frontline in the area of Dobro Pole, while also posing a danger to the Bulgarian supply lines on the river ]. The {{cvt|1875|m|adj=on}} Dobro Pole ("Good Field") peak dominated the region, providing excellent observation points for the defenders. Dobro Pole was surrounded by a well-developed system of trenches which, in combination with the rough terrain, made the area impassable for wheeled transport. Dobro Pole was, however, lower and less steep than the mountains on other parts of the front that averaged {{cvt|2000|m}}.{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=7–8}}{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|p=89}}{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=112–113}}{{sfn|Geramanis|1980|p=129}}

A second Anglo-Franco-] force would then attack the ] between ] and ], preventing it from forming new defensive positions in the area. The initial advance would allow the ] to progress in support of other units first to ], Disma and Borran. In the meantime, an Anglo-Hellenic force would strike Mount ], occupying the ].{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=112–113}}{{sfn|Geramanis|1980|p=129}}

D'Espèrey expected to march the ] through the towns of ], Rupel, Petrici, Blagusa, Gradec, ] and Belessa, finally seizing Skopje. Units stationed at Katsania and ] would prevent a Bulgarian ], while the main body of the force would widen the breach both in Štip and Prilep. In case of a collapse of the front between Dobro Pole and Tzena, the ] and ] armies would either be annihilated or, in less favorable circumstances, perform an organised retreat to a new defensive line on the river ]. The prevention of such a retreat was to be achieved by a rapid, penetrating attack on ], ] and Visoka.{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|p=113}}{{sfn|Geramanis|1980|p=130}}

==Battle==
] river in 1918]]
At 8:00&nbsp;a.m. on 14 September 1918, Entente forces commenced a 566-gun artillery barrage on enemy positions. Their aircraft also bombed enemy positions and strafed a 250-truck column moving towards ]. On the same day, Scholtz sent Hindenburg a ] stating that
"all indications point out that an enemy offensive will target the 11th Army on both sides of Vardar as well as Dobro Pole&nbsp;..."
The Bulgarian high command did not attempt to perform a spoiling attack as they lacked the necessary vehicles and pack animals. The barrage did not cause a significant number of casualties but severely affected the Bulgarian '']''. On the night between 14 and 15 September, Franco-Serbian patrols reported that the artillery barrage had dealt sufficient damage to the barbed wire entanglements separating the trenches.{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=114–115, 125}}

At 5:30&nbsp;a.m. on 15 September, the French 122nd and 17th (Colonial) divisions struck Sokol, Dobro Pole, Kravitski Kamene and Kravitsa while the Serbian ] Division assaulted Kamene and Veternik. The Greek ], ] and ] under ] acted as a link between the Serbian and French troops without entering combat. The offensive immediately caused a wave of mass desertion among the Bulgarian units; the remaining infantrymen and artillery squadrons were not able to hold their ground. During the course of the battle, the 122nd Division broke into two columns and suffered heavy casualties. The left column managed to reach a position located {{cvt|50|m}} from Sokol at 6:30&nbsp;a.m. and take the peak at the end of the day. At 4:00&nbsp;pm, the right column captured Dobro Pole after rushing a {{cvt|200|m|adj=on}} segment of steep terrain. The 17th Division seized Kravitsa at 7:00&nbsp;am, suppressing the last signs of resistance.<ref>{{harvnb|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=114–115, 117, 125}}, {{harvnb|Hall|2010|p=130}}, {{harvnb|Korsun|1939|p=98}}</ref>

Two Franco-Greek regiments attempted to storm ] but were pushed back in the ensuing counterattack, as powerful pockets of resistance between the Sousnitsa and Bigrut streams facilitated its defense. Greek units then focused on Sousnitsa the fall of which created an opening in the Bulgarian ] and put the surrounding units to flight. Using dispersed bluffs as cover, soldiers of the Šumadija Division took over Veternik, Kamene and the western part of a nearby mountain range with considerable difficulty. Elements of the same unit successfully flanked Kravitski Kamene while the 17th Division was engaging in a frontal assault. At 4:00&nbsp;pm, the Serbian ]'s thrust on Sokol failed to produce intended results. An attack later that night did secure the peak. The two French divisions were then ordered to remain in position while the Serbian Timok and ] Divisions moved forward. By the end of the day, Bulgaria lost approximately 40–50 percent of the 12,000 soldiers involved in the battle, including 3,000 ], 2,689 dead and 50 out of the initial 158 artillery pieces. Entente casualties amounted to 1,700 Frenchmen and 200 Serbians killed in action.<ref>{{harvnb|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=115–116, 118–119, 126}}, {{harvnb|Korsun|1939|p=98}}, {{harvnb|Villari|1922|p=226}}, {{harvnb|Coates Ulrichsen|2014|p=95}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA563176.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118032822/https://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA563176 |url-status=live |archive-date=18 November 2015 |title=THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BULGARIAN SENIOR MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN WORLD WAR I: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE BULGARIAN ARMY OPERATIONS AT DOBRO POLE AND DOIRAN IN 1918 |work=MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE Thesis |author=Ivaylo S. Ivanov |date=2000 |page=37 |access-date=13 November 2015}}</ref>

On the morning of 16 September, the Serbians overran the Kozjak mountain range and the Golo Bilo peak. They were joined by the 35th Greek Regiment which crossed the Poroi River and later marched on Topolets. At {{nobr|11:00 am}}, Franco-Hellenic units stormed Zborsko for a second time and were met by heavy artillery and machine gun fire. The attack was rebuffed with the loss of 158 Greeks and roughly the same number of French lives and attempts to take the area were suspended. ]'s 1st Army and the ''Armée d'Orient'' performed a night attack on the ] fortified zone, suppressing the defenders. The 1st Division Group moved into a position on the Poroi River north of Brahovo in conjunction with the Timok Division. By the night of 16 September, the gap in what formerly constituted the front line had extended to {{cvt|25|km}} in width and {{cvt|7|km}} in depth. The Allied command ordered its air department to continue attacking all bridges on the river Vardar.{{sfn|Korsun|1939|p=98}}{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=118–119, 120–122}}

At 4.00 a.m. on 17 September, Hellenic components of the 1st Division Group raided Mount Preslap, a key position housing Bulgarian artillery. The Greeks rapidly descended from Golo Bilo and then began climbing the cliffs of Preslap with their bare hands. The Preslap garrison proceeded to abandon their positions and retreat eastwards. Having lost their artillery cover forces at Zborsko followed their comrades in retreat. The Timok Division conquered Topolets and advanced towards Studena Voda and Preslap while the Morava and Yugoslav divisions overran Koutskov Kamene. At the same time, the Drina and Danube Divisions seized Gradešnica along with the Poltsista and Besistsa peaks, then halted at Melinitsa.{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=122–123}}{{sfn|Villari|1922|pp=227–228}}

On 18 September, the 11th French Colonial Division and the 6th Greek Regiment occupied the villages of ], ] and ], approaching towards the ] bridge on ]. An Entente ] destroyed another bridge north of Razim Bey. Bulgarian forces failed at putting a stop to the Allied offensive, abandoning their wounded and large quantities of military equipment. By the end of the day, Allied troops had advanced {{cvt|15|km}} into enemy territory while also seizing locales of strategic importance that would later enable them to continue pushing deeper into ].{{sfn|Korsun|1939|p=98}}{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=116–117}}


==Aftermath== ==Aftermath==
]
10 days after the battle, with the front lines abandoned by the Bulgarian Army, the Entente advance in Bulgaria met little resistance. Bulgaria signed an ] with the Allied Powers, officially leaving the war. Immediately after, a peasant-led "Agrarian" government took control.
Immediately following the battle, Entente forces were defeated in the ] at Lake Doiran on 18 September. However, the breach of the defensive line at Dobro Pole enabled the Allies to penetrate into Vardar Macedonia and send reinforcements to Doiran. The Bulgarians rushed to the defense of their homeland, abandoning Vardar Macedonia, in order to prevent a future occupation by the Entente. Having suffered heavy losses at Doiran, the Allied forces allowed the Bulgarians to peacefully withdraw over the border. A combination of multiple factors, including combat fatigue and poor supplies, led to the ]. On 25 September, a band of Bulgarian deserters who had previously fled from Dobro Pole arrived at ], looting the city and putting the Bulgarian High Command to flight. The mass of retreating Bulgarian mutineers then converged on the railway center of ] in Bulgaria, just {{cvt|30|mi|km}} from the capital city of Sofia. On 27 September, the leaders of the ] took control of these troops and proclaimed the establishment of the Bulgarian Republic. About {{nowrap|4,000–5,000}} rebellious troops threatened Sofia the following day.{{sfn|Falls|1935|pp=246–253}}{{sfn|Korsun|1939|pp=105–108}}{{sfn|Omiridis Skylitzes|1961|pp=124–125}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/ADA563176.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151118032822/https://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA563176 |url-status=live |archive-date=18 November 2015 |title=THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BULGARIAN SENIOR MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN WORLD WAR I: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE BULGARIAN ARMY OPERATIONS AT DOBRO POLE AND DOIRAN IN 1918 |work=MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE Thesis |author=Ivaylo S. Ivanov |date=2000 |page=92 |access-date=13 November 2015}}</ref>


Under those chaotic circumstances, a Bulgarian delegation arrived in Thessaloniki to ask for an armistice. On 29 September, the Bulgarians were granted the ] by General d'Esperey. The Bulgarian downfall turned the strategic and operational balance of the war against the ]. The new balance was best described by German Emperor ] in his telegram to ]: "Disgraceful! 62,000 Serbs decided the war!".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://militaryhistorynow.com/2017/09/21/knock-out-blow-at-dobro-polje-six-facts-about-the-obscure-battle-that-ended-ww1/|title=The Battle of Dobro Polje – The Forgotten Balkan Skirmish That Ended WW1|website=Militaryhistorynow.com|access-date=2019-11-21|archive-date=2017-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170923215523/http://militaryhistorynow.com/2017/09/21/knock-out-blow-at-dobro-polje-six-facts-about-the-obscure-battle-that-ended-ww1/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://historycollection.co/ten-facts-battle-dobro-polje-battle-led-allied-victory-world-war/9/ |title=The Germans Could no Longer Keep up the Fight |website=historycollection.co |date=22 February 2017 |access-date=2019-11-21}}</ref>
In November 1919 the ] awarded Thrace to Greece, depriving Bulgaria of access to the ]. The newly formed ] took ] and ] was again occupied by ]. Severe limitations were placed on the size of the ] and enormous ] in goods and money were to be paid to the Allies.

The Macedonian Front was brought to an end at noon on 30 September, when the ceasefire came into effect, and the Radomir Rebellion was put down, by Bulgarian forces, as of 2 October. Tsar ] abdicated and went into exile the following day.{{sfn|Falls|1935|pp=246–253}}{{sfn|Korsun|1939|pp=105–108}}{{sfn|Doughty|2005|p=491}} On 29 September 1918, the ] informed ] and the ] ] ], that the military situation facing Germany was hopeless.{{Sfn|Axelrod|2018|p=260}}

The British Army headed east towards the European side of the ], while the French and Serbian forces continued north. The British Army neared Constantinople and, without a force capable of stopping the advance, the Ottoman government asked for an armistice (the ]) on 26 October. In Serbia, "Desperate Frankie" (as the British nicknamed d'Esperey) continued to advance and ], overrunning several weak German divisions that tried to block its push near ]. On 3 November, Austria-Hungary was forced to sign the ] on the ] ending the war there. On 10 November, d'Esperey's army crossed the ] river and was poised to enter the ] heartland. At the request of the French general, Count ], leading the Hungarian government, signed the ].{{sfn|Falls|1935|pp=254–279}}


==See also== ==See also==
{{Portal|North Macedonia|Bulgaria|Serbia}}
*]
*]
*]
*]

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist|group=Note}}

==Citations==
{{Reflist|30em}}


==References== ==References==
{{Refbegin}}
*{{cite web
*{{cite book |last=Axelrod |first=Alan |author-link=Alan Axelrod |title=How America Won World War I |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1493031924 |year=2018}}
| last = Hayles
*{{cite book |last=Albertini |first=Luigi |author-link=Luigi Albertini |title=Origins of the War of 1914 |volume=II |publisher=Oxford University Press |location=Oxford |year=1953 |oclc=168712}}
| first = John
*{{cite book |last=Coates Ulrichsen |first=Kristian |title=The First World War in the Middle East |publisher=Hurst |location=London |year=2014 |isbn=978-1849042741}}
| authorlink = John Hayles
*{{cite book |author1-link=Robert A. Doughty |last=Doughty |first=R. A. |year=2005 |title=Pyrrhic Victory: French Strategy and Operations in the Great War |location=Cambridge, MA |publisher=The Belknap Press of Harvard University |isbn=0-674-01880-X}}
| coauthors =
*{{cite book|last=Falls|first=Cyril Bentham|author-link=Cyril Falls|title=Military Operations Macedonia. From the Outbreak of War to the Spring of 1917|location=London|publisher=]|year=1933|url=https://archive.org/details/military-operations-macedonia-vol-1/|series=History of the Great War based on Official Documents}}
| title = Republic of Bulgaria National History
*{{cite book|last=Falls|first=Cyril Bentham|author-link=Cyril Falls|title=Military Operations Macedonia. From the Spring of 1917 to the End of the War|location=London|publisher=]|year=1935|url=https://archive.org/details/military-operations-macedonia-vol-2/|series=History of the Great War based on Official Documents}}
| work =
*{{cite book |last=Fischer |first=Fritz |title=Germany's Aims in the First World War |url=https://archive.org/details/germanysaimsinfi0000fisc |url-access=registration |publisher=W. W. Norton |location=New York |year=1967 |isbn=978-0-393-09798-6}}
| publisher =
*{{cite book |last=Geramanis |first=Athanasios |year=1980 |title=Πολεμική Ιστορία Νεωτέρας Ελλάδος: Επιχειρήσεις εν Μακεδονία κατά τον Α' παγκόσμιον πόλεμον 1915–1918|trans-title=Military History of Modern Greece Operations in Macedonia During WWI 1915–1918 |volume=IV |language=el |publisher=Kefallinos |location=Athens}}
| date = 2001-12-13
*{{cite book |last=Hall |first=Richard |title=Balkan Breakthrough: The Battle of Dobro Pole 1918 |publisher=Indiana University Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-253-35452-5}}
| url = http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/waf/bulgaria/bulg-national-history.htm | doi =
*{{cite book |last=Korsun |first=Nikolay |year=1939 |title=Балканский фронт мировой войны 1914–1918 гг. |trans-title=Balkan Front of the World War 1914–1918 |language=ru |publisher=Boenizdat |location=Moscow |oclc=7970969}}
| accessdate = 2007-01-20 }}
*{{Cite book |last=Omiridis Skylitzes |first=Aristeidis |title=Ο Ελληνικός Στρατός κατά τον Πρώτον Παγκόσμιον Πόλεμον: Η Συμμετοχή της Ελλάδος εις τον Πόλεμον 1918|trans-title=Hellenic Army During the First World War 1914–1918: Hellenic Participation in the War 1918 |volume=II |publisher=Hellenic Army History Department |language=el |location=Athens |year=1961}}
*''Savo Skoko, "Vojvoda Stepa Stepanović", Belgrade 1985.
*{{cite book |last1=Thomas |first1=Nigel |last2=Babac |first2=Dusan |title=Armies in the Balkans 1914–18 |year=2001 |publisher=Osprey Publishing |isbn=1-84176-194-X}}
*{{cite book |last=Villari |first=Luigi |title=The Macedonian Campaign |publisher=T. Fisher Unwin |location=London |year=1922 |url=https://archive.org/details/macedoniancampai00vill |oclc=6388448}}
*{{cite book |last=Willmott |first=H.P. |year=2003 |title=World War I |location=New York |publisher=Dorling Kindersley |isbn=0-7894-9627-5 |oclc=52541937}}
{{Refend}}


==Further reading==
{{Bulgaria in World War I}}
{{Refbegin|30em}}
*{{cite book |first=Nikola |last=Nedev |title=Дойранската епопея 1915–1918|trans-title=The Doiran Epopee 1915–1918 |location=Sofia |language=bg |year=1923 |publisher=Armeiski voenno-izdatelski fond |isbn=978-954-8247-05-4}}
*{{cite book |first=Alfred |last=Dieterich |title=Weltkriegsende an der mazedonischen Front |trans-title=The End of the World War at the Macedonian Front |publisher=Gerhard Stalling |location=Berlin |language=de |year=1928 |url=http://digi.landesbibliothek.at/viewer/image/AC00633956/1/#topDocAnchor |oclc=248900490 |access-date=16 December 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222082943/http://digi.landesbibliothek.at/viewer/image/AC00633956/1/#topDocAnchor |url-status=live }}
*{{cite book |first=Andrej |last=Mitrović |title=Serbia's Great War, 1914–1918 |publisher=Hurst |location=London |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-55753-477-4}}
*{{cite book |first=Collinson |last=Owen |title=Salonica and After: The Sideshow that Ended the War |publisher=Forgotten Books |location=Charleston, SC |year=2012 |asin=B008VGLK3Q}}
{{Refend}}


{{Bulgaria in World War I}}
{{coord missing}}
{{Greece during World War I}}
{{Wars and battles involving Serbs}}
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Latest revision as of 04:08, 5 December 2024

1918 battle in the Balkans Campaign of World War I

Battle of Dobro Pole
Part of the Vardar Offensive in the Balkans Theatre of World War I

Ground Cover of the Serbian 21st Infantry Regiment at Dobro Pole (c. 1918)
Date15–18 September 1918
LocationDobro Pole (present day Greece and North Macedonia)41°02′06″N 21°53′06″E / 41.035°N 21.885°E / 41.035; 21.885
Result Allied victory
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
Units involved

 Serbia

' Greece

  • 11th Army
  • Strength
    • French Third Republic 3 divisions
    • Kingdom of Serbia 2 corps
    • Kingdom of Greece 3 divisions
    • 566 guns
    • 1 army
    • 158 artillery pieces
    Casualties and losses
    • French Third Republic 1,850 dead
    • Kingdom of Serbia 200 dead
    • Kingdom of Greece 158 dead
    • 2,689 dead
    • 3,000 captured
    • 50 artillery pieces
    Macedonian front

    The Battle of Dobro Pole (Serbian: Битка код Доброг Поља, romanizedBitka kod Dobrog Polja; Greek: Μάχη του Ντόμπρο Πόλε, romanizedMáchi tou Dóbro Póle), also known as the Breakthrough at Dobro Pole (Bulgarian: Пробив при Добро Поле, romanizedProbiv pri Dobro Pole), was a World War I battle fought between 15 and 18 September 1918. The battle was fought in the initial stage of the Vardar Offensive, in the Balkans Theatre. On 15 September, a combined force of Serbian, French and Greek troops attacked the Bulgarian-held trenches in Dobro Pole ("Good Field"), at the time part of the Kingdom of Serbia (present-day Greece and North Macedonia). The offensive and the preceding artillery preparation had devastating effects on Bulgarian morale, eventually leading to mass desertions.

    Despite being outnumbered and poorly equipped, certain Bulgarian units offered fierce resistance, delaying the Entente advance in Zborsko. However, the collapse of the front line enabled the Allies to assault Bulgarian positions from multiple directions and eventually quell the last pockets of resistance. The Central Powers' defeat at the Dobro Pole played a role in the Bulgarian withdrawal from the war and opened the way for the subsequent capture of Vardar Macedonia.

    Prelude

    Dobro Pole plateau on Nidže mountain, where the battle and breakthrough took place

    The 28 June 1914, assassination of Austro-Hungarian heir presumptive Archduke Franz Ferdinand precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia. The conflict quickly attracted the involvement of all major European countries, pitting the Central Powers against the Entente coalition, and starting World War I.

    Serbia was ultimately defeated during the autumn 1915 phase of the Serbian Campaign, prompting France and Britain to transfer troops from the Gallipoli Campaign to Greek Macedonia. The Macedonian front was thus established to support the remnants of the Serbian army in their effort to conquer Vardar Macedonia.

    On 17 August 1916, Bulgaria invaded Greece, easily conquering all Greek territory east of the Struma, since the Greek Army was ordered not to resist by the pro-German King Constantine. The surrender of territory recently won with difficulty in the Second Balkan War of 1913 was the last straw for many supporters of Liberal Party politician Eleftherios Venizelos. With Allied assistance, they launched a coup which secured Thessaloniki and most of Greek Macedonia, causing the National Schism. In June 1917, the Venizelists gained full control of the country, immediately declaring war on the Central Powers and joining the Allied Army of the Orient operating on the Balkan Front. The Greek entry into the war, along with the 24 division reinforcements that the army had received in the spring of the same year, created a strategic advantage for the Entente.

    In late July 1918, Bulgarian commander-in-chief Nikola Zhekov sent German field marshal general Paul von Hindenburg a message regarding a rumored Entente offensive, and detailed Bulgaria's inability to adequately defend the Vardar portion of the front. Zhekov requested that Germany immediately reinforce the Balkan Front, hinting that Austria-Hungary would also be required to strengthen its positions in Albania. On 17 August, Hindenburg pledged to provide Bulgaria with support only once the situation on other fronts permitted it. Hindenburg's reluctance to support Bulgaria was also manifested by the early September redeployment of the last German Jäger battalion stationed in Macedonia back into Germany.

    The Bulgarians, using information from escaped prisoners of war, determined that Entente forces would engage in hostile actions west of lake Ohrid, in Monastir, Dobro Pole or Human. On 27 August, the 2nd and 3rd Bulgarian divisions stationed at Dobro Pole were ordered to make emergency preparations, as new evidence indicated a frontal assault on Dobro Pole along with a secondary attack on Human. By 7 September, Dobro Pole was reinforced by one machine gun company, six battalions and ten heavy howitzers. General Friedrich von Scholtz then stated that these measures made the defense of the front feasible. Von Scholtz had, however, failed to take into account the departure of Bulgarian chief of staff Nikola Zhekov and his subsequent replacement by Georgi Todorov. Widespread insubordination and desertions also plagued the Bulgarian troops, who refused to participate in fortification works. Poor rations and fatigue contributed to the low morale.

    A day prior to the Entente offensive, General Louis Franchet d'Espèrey laid out the final plan for the operation. The first phase consisted of a combined Franco-Serbian attack on the positions of the 2nd and 3rd Bulgarian Divisions, which was expected to create a breach of the frontline in the area of Dobro Pole, while also posing a danger to the Bulgarian supply lines on the river Vardar. The 1,875 m (6,152 ft) Dobro Pole ("Good Field") peak dominated the region, providing excellent observation points for the defenders. Dobro Pole was surrounded by a well-developed system of trenches which, in combination with the rough terrain, made the area impassable for wheeled transport. Dobro Pole was, however, lower and less steep than the mountains on other parts of the front that averaged 2,000 m (6,600 ft).

    A second Anglo-Franco-Hellenic force would then attack the 1st Bulgarian Army between Kožuf and Lake Doiran, preventing it from forming new defensive positions in the area. The initial advance would allow the Armée d'Orient to progress in support of other units first to Prilep, Disma and Borran. In the meantime, an Anglo-Hellenic force would strike Mount Belasica, occupying the Rupel Pass.

    D'Espèrey expected to march the Allied Army of the Orient through the towns of Demir Hisar, Rupel, Petrici, Blagusa, Gradec, Štip and Belessa, finally seizing Skopje. Units stationed at Katsania and Tetovo would prevent a Bulgarian flanking maneuver, while the main body of the force would widen the breach both in Štip and Prilep. In case of a collapse of the front between Dobro Pole and Tzena, the 1st Bulgarian and 11th German armies would either be annihilated or, in less favorable circumstances, perform an organised retreat to a new defensive line on the river Crna. The prevention of such a retreat was to be achieved by a rapid, penetrating attack on Gradsko, Dren Planina and Visoka.

    Battle

    German soldiers bathing in the Crna river in 1918

    At 8:00 a.m. on 14 September 1918, Entente forces commenced a 566-gun artillery barrage on enemy positions. Their aircraft also bombed enemy positions and strafed a 250-truck column moving towards Kozjak. On the same day, Scholtz sent Hindenburg a telegraph stating that "all indications point out that an enemy offensive will target the 11th Army on both sides of Vardar as well as Dobro Pole ..." The Bulgarian high command did not attempt to perform a spoiling attack as they lacked the necessary vehicles and pack animals. The barrage did not cause a significant number of casualties but severely affected the Bulgarian esprit de corps. On the night between 14 and 15 September, Franco-Serbian patrols reported that the artillery barrage had dealt sufficient damage to the barbed wire entanglements separating the trenches.

    At 5:30 a.m. on 15 September, the French 122nd and 17th (Colonial) divisions struck Sokol, Dobro Pole, Kravitski Kamene and Kravitsa while the Serbian Šumadija Division assaulted Kamene and Veternik. The Greek Archipelago, 3rd and 4th divisions under Panagiotis Gargalidis acted as a link between the Serbian and French troops without entering combat. The offensive immediately caused a wave of mass desertion among the Bulgarian units; the remaining infantrymen and artillery squadrons were not able to hold their ground. During the course of the battle, the 122nd Division broke into two columns and suffered heavy casualties. The left column managed to reach a position located 50 m (160 ft) from Sokol at 6:30 a.m. and take the peak at the end of the day. At 4:00 pm, the right column captured Dobro Pole after rushing a 200 m (660 ft) segment of steep terrain. The 17th Division seized Kravitsa at 7:00 am, suppressing the last signs of resistance.

    Two Franco-Greek regiments attempted to storm Zborsko but were pushed back in the ensuing counterattack, as powerful pockets of resistance between the Sousnitsa and Bigrut streams facilitated its defense. Greek units then focused on Sousnitsa the fall of which created an opening in the Bulgarian rear and put the surrounding units to flight. Using dispersed bluffs as cover, soldiers of the Šumadija Division took over Veternik, Kamene and the western part of a nearby mountain range with considerable difficulty. Elements of the same unit successfully flanked Kravitski Kamene while the 17th Division was engaging in a frontal assault. At 4:00 pm, the Serbian 1st Army's thrust on Sokol failed to produce intended results. An attack later that night did secure the peak. The two French divisions were then ordered to remain in position while the Serbian Timok and Yugoslav Divisions moved forward. By the end of the day, Bulgaria lost approximately 40–50 percent of the 12,000 soldiers involved in the battle, including 3,000 prisoners of war, 2,689 dead and 50 out of the initial 158 artillery pieces. Entente casualties amounted to 1,700 Frenchmen and 200 Serbians killed in action.

    On the morning of 16 September, the Serbians overran the Kozjak mountain range and the Golo Bilo peak. They were joined by the 35th Greek Regiment which crossed the Poroi River and later marched on Topolets. At 11:00 am, Franco-Hellenic units stormed Zborsko for a second time and were met by heavy artillery and machine gun fire. The attack was rebuffed with the loss of 158 Greeks and roughly the same number of French lives and attempts to take the area were suspended. Živojin Mišić's 1st Army and the Armée d'Orient performed a night attack on the Gradešnica fortified zone, suppressing the defenders. The 1st Division Group moved into a position on the Poroi River north of Brahovo in conjunction with the Timok Division. By the night of 16 September, the gap in what formerly constituted the front line had extended to 25 km (16 mi) in width and 7 km (4.3 mi) in depth. The Allied command ordered its air department to continue attacking all bridges on the river Vardar.

    At 4.00 a.m. on 17 September, Hellenic components of the 1st Division Group raided Mount Preslap, a key position housing Bulgarian artillery. The Greeks rapidly descended from Golo Bilo and then began climbing the cliffs of Preslap with their bare hands. The Preslap garrison proceeded to abandon their positions and retreat eastwards. Having lost their artillery cover forces at Zborsko followed their comrades in retreat. The Timok Division conquered Topolets and advanced towards Studena Voda and Preslap while the Morava and Yugoslav divisions overran Koutskov Kamene. At the same time, the Drina and Danube Divisions seized Gradešnica along with the Poltsista and Besistsa peaks, then halted at Melinitsa.

    On 18 September, the 11th French Colonial Division and the 6th Greek Regiment occupied the villages of Zoviḱ, Staravina and Cebren, approaching towards the Cebren Monastery bridge on Crna. An Entente air raid destroyed another bridge north of Razim Bey. Bulgarian forces failed at putting a stop to the Allied offensive, abandoning their wounded and large quantities of military equipment. By the end of the day, Allied troops had advanced 15 km (9.3 mi) into enemy territory while also seizing locales of strategic importance that would later enable them to continue pushing deeper into Vardar Macedonia.

    Aftermath

    French military cemetery in Skopje

    Immediately following the battle, Entente forces were defeated in the Battle of Doiran at Lake Doiran on 18 September. However, the breach of the defensive line at Dobro Pole enabled the Allies to penetrate into Vardar Macedonia and send reinforcements to Doiran. The Bulgarians rushed to the defense of their homeland, abandoning Vardar Macedonia, in order to prevent a future occupation by the Entente. Having suffered heavy losses at Doiran, the Allied forces allowed the Bulgarians to peacefully withdraw over the border. A combination of multiple factors, including combat fatigue and poor supplies, led to the Radomir Rebellion. On 25 September, a band of Bulgarian deserters who had previously fled from Dobro Pole arrived at Kyustendil, looting the city and putting the Bulgarian High Command to flight. The mass of retreating Bulgarian mutineers then converged on the railway center of Radomir in Bulgaria, just 30 mi (48 km) from the capital city of Sofia. On 27 September, the leaders of the Bulgarian Agrarian National Union took control of these troops and proclaimed the establishment of the Bulgarian Republic. About 4,000–5,000 rebellious troops threatened Sofia the following day.

    Under those chaotic circumstances, a Bulgarian delegation arrived in Thessaloniki to ask for an armistice. On 29 September, the Bulgarians were granted the Armistice of Salonica by General d'Esperey. The Bulgarian downfall turned the strategic and operational balance of the war against the Central Powers. The new balance was best described by German Emperor Wilhelm II in his telegram to Bulgarian Tsar Ferdinand I: "Disgraceful! 62,000 Serbs decided the war!".

    The Macedonian Front was brought to an end at noon on 30 September, when the ceasefire came into effect, and the Radomir Rebellion was put down, by Bulgarian forces, as of 2 October. Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria abdicated and went into exile the following day. On 29 September 1918, the German Supreme Army Command informed Kaiser Wilhelm II and the Imperial Chancellor Count Georg von Hertling, that the military situation facing Germany was hopeless.

    The British Army headed east towards the European side of the Ottoman Empire, while the French and Serbian forces continued north. The British Army neared Constantinople and, without a force capable of stopping the advance, the Ottoman government asked for an armistice (the Armistice of Mudros) on 26 October. In Serbia, "Desperate Frankie" (as the British nicknamed d'Esperey) continued to advance and the Serbo-French Army re-captured the country, overrunning several weak German divisions that tried to block its push near Niš. On 3 November, Austria-Hungary was forced to sign the Armistice of Villa Giusti on the Italian Front ending the war there. On 10 November, d'Esperey's army crossed the Danube river and was poised to enter the Hungarian heartland. At the request of the French general, Count Mihály Károlyi, leading the Hungarian government, signed the Armistice of Belgrade.

    See also

    Footnotes

    1. The Serbian armies were corps sized formations.
    2. The 11th German Army consisted of Bulgarian soldiers commanded by German officers.

    Citations

    1. Thomas & Babac 2001, pp. 12–13.
    2. Korsun 1939, p. 95.
    3. Albertini 1953, p. 36.
    4. Fischer 1967, p. 73.
    5. Willmott 2003, pp. 11–15.
    6. Hall 2010, pp. 48–50.
    7. Falls 1933, pp. 152–184.
    8. Falls 1933, pp. 208–230.
    9. Falls 1933, pp. 348–362.
    10. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, p. 111.
    11. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 111–112.
    12. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 7–8.
    13. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, p. 89.
    14. ^ Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 112–113.
    15. ^ Geramanis 1980, p. 129.
    16. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, p. 113.
    17. Geramanis 1980, p. 130.
    18. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 114–115, 125.
    19. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 114–115, 117, 125, Hall 2010, p. 130, Korsun 1939, p. 98
    20. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 115–116, 118–119, 126, Korsun 1939, p. 98, Villari 1922, p. 226, Coates Ulrichsen 2014, p. 95
    21. Ivaylo S. Ivanov (2000). "THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BULGARIAN SENIOR MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN WORLD WAR I: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE BULGARIAN ARMY OPERATIONS AT DOBRO POLE AND DOIRAN IN 1918" (PDF). MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE Thesis. p. 37. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
    22. ^ Korsun 1939, p. 98.
    23. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 118–119, 120–122.
    24. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 122–123.
    25. Villari 1922, pp. 227–228.
    26. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 116–117.
    27. ^ Falls 1935, pp. 246–253.
    28. ^ Korsun 1939, pp. 105–108.
    29. Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, pp. 124–125.
    30. Ivaylo S. Ivanov (2000). "THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE BULGARIAN SENIOR MILITARY LEADERSHIP IN WORLD WAR I: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE BULGARIAN ARMY OPERATIONS AT DOBRO POLE AND DOIRAN IN 1918" (PDF). MASTER OF MILITARY ART AND SCIENCE Thesis. p. 92. Archived from the original on 18 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
    31. "The Battle of Dobro Polje – The Forgotten Balkan Skirmish That Ended WW1". Militaryhistorynow.com. Archived from the original on 23 September 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
    32. "The Germans Could no Longer Keep up the Fight". historycollection.co. 22 February 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
    33. Doughty 2005, p. 491.
    34. Axelrod 2018, p. 260.
    35. Falls 1935, pp. 254–279.

    References

    Further reading

    • Nedev, Nikola (1923). Дойранската епопея 1915–1918 [The Doiran Epopee 1915–1918] (in Bulgarian). Sofia: Armeiski voenno-izdatelski fond. ISBN 978-954-8247-05-4.
    • Dieterich, Alfred (1928). Weltkriegsende an der mazedonischen Front [The End of the World War at the Macedonian Front] (in German). Berlin: Gerhard Stalling. OCLC 248900490. Archived from the original on 22 December 2015. Retrieved 16 December 2015.
    • Mitrović, Andrej (2007). Serbia's Great War, 1914–1918. London: Hurst. ISBN 978-1-55753-477-4.
    • Owen, Collinson (2012). Salonica and After: The Sideshow that Ended the War. Charleston, SC: Forgotten Books. ASIN B008VGLK3Q.
    Bulgaria during World War I
    Prelude South-western front
    Serbian campaign, Macedonian front
    Romanian front • Outcome • Others Important persons
    Balkan Wars

    1912–1913

    1913

    Neutrality

    1914

    1915

    Commanders

     Bulgaria

    Nikola ZhekovKliment BoyadzhievDimitar GeshovGeorgi TodorovIvan LukovStefan NerezovVladimir Vazov

    Entente:

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

    Field Armies Battles

    1915

    Morava OffensiveOvče Pole OffensiveKosovo offensive (1915) Battle of Krivolak

    1916

    First battle of DoiranBattle of Florina (Lerin)Struma operationMonastir offensive

    1917

    Second battle of Doiran2nd Crna BendSecond battle of Monastir

    1918

    Battle of Skra-di-LegenBattle of Dobro PoleThird battle of Doiran

    Commanders

     Bulgaria

    Nikola ZhekovPanteley KiselovStefan ToshevTodor KantardzhievIvan Kolev

    Entente:

     Romania: Constantin PrezanAlexandru Averescu;
     Russia: Andrei ZayonchkovskiVladimir Sakharov

    Field Armies Battles

    1916

    Battle of TurtucaiaBattle of BazargicFirst CobadinFlămânda OffensiveSecond CobadinBattle of Bucharest

    Outcome

    1918 Treaty of Brest-LitovskArmistice of FocșaniTreaty of BucharestProtocol of Berlin

    Outcome

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