Balkan Front
Front
(260)1914
July
August
September
- 08
- Second Austro-Hungarian invasion of SerbiaDuring the night of 7/8 September 1914 Potiorek's armies crossed the Drina again. Austria-Hungary meant to draw the Serbs out of Syrmia and avenge Cer.
- Battle of the Drina beginsOn 8 September 1914 Austro-Hungarian troops crossed the Drina. In the mountains of western Serbia a battle began that turned into trench warfare.
- 17
- Serbs evacuate SemlinFor 17 September 1914 the British chronology records the Serbs leaving Syrmia and Semlin. The Austro-Hungarians returned, and with them reprisals.
- Austro-Hungarian offensive on the Drina runs out of steamAround 17 September 1914 the force of Potiorek's second offensive on the Drina was spent. Heavy fighting for the heights, however, went on for weeks.
October
November
December
1915
February
May
June
July
September
- 21
- Bulgaria decides to mobiliseOn 21 September 1915 Radoslavov's government decided to mobilise the army. The British chronology speaks of partial mobilisation, but the decree was general.
- Venizelos asks for 150,000 Entente troopsOn 21 September 1915 Venizelos asked France and Britain for 150,000 troops. They were to replace the Serbs, who could not field them against Bulgaria.
- 25
- Bulgaria begins mobilisationIn late September 1915 hundreds of thousands of reservists poured into Bulgarian barracks. Rifles and uniforms were short, and zeal was lower than in 1912.
- Serbia promises Dojran and Gevgelija to GreeceUnder 25 September 1915 the British chronology records that Serbia promised Greece the Dojran and Gevgelija area. Pašić hoped to win Greek help this way.
October
- 06
- Key eventCentral Powers attack SerbiaOn 6 October 1915 Mackensen's guns opened fire along the Sava, Danube and Drina, and the first Austro-Hungarian units crossed. The conquest of Serbia began.
- Constantine gives assurances of Greek neutralityIn early October 1915 King Constantine I assured the British minister that Greece would stay neutral. Mobilisation and the Entente landing were to go on.
- 11
- Fighting between Bulgaria and Serbia beginsOn 11 October 1915 the first shots were fired on the Bulgarian-Serbian frontier. Bulgaria had not yet declared war, but its armies were ready to attack.
- Capture of SmederevoOn 11 October 1915 the German 25th Reserve Division took Smederevo on the Danube. The British chronology credits the Austrians, but the Germans took the town.
- 13
- Britain breaks off relations with BulgariaIn mid-October 1915 Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Bulgaria. The Bulgarian minister left London, and the Bulgarian army moved against Serbia.
- First clashes between the French and the BulgariansIn mid-October 1915 the French moved from Salonika up the Vardar into Serbia. They first fought the Bulgarians on 21 October near Strumica station.
- 15
- Britain declares war on BulgariaOn 15 October 1915 the Foreign Office announced that from 10 p.m. Britain was at war with Bulgaria, an ally of the Central Powers fighting Serbia.
- Montenegro declares war on BulgariaOn 15 October 1915 Montenegro declared a state of war with Bulgaria. King Nicholas I's small monarchy stood by Serbia, now attacked from two sides.
- Romania refuses to help SerbiaAccording to the British chronology, on 15 October 1915 Romania refused to help Serbia. Brătianu would not fight without a large Entente army in the Balkans.
- Bulgarians take VranjeIn mid-October 1915 the Bulgarian Second Army reached Vranje on the South Morava and cut the Niš–Salonika railway, Serbia's main route to the Allies.
- 16
- France declares war on BulgariaOn 16 October 1915, a day after Britain, France declared a state of war with Bulgaria. Paris faced a cabinet crisis; the Army of the Orient was landing.
- Britain offers Cyprus to GreeceOn 16 October 1915 London offered to cede Cyprus to Greece. The only condition was that the Greek army be sent at once to help Serbia.
- 19
- Bulgarians take ŠtipAround 19 October 1915 the Bulgarians advancing down the Bregalnica valley took Štip, opening the Ovče Pole and the road to the Vardar and the Salonika railway.
- Key eventRussia and Italy declare war on BulgariaOn 19 October 1915 Nicholas II's manifesto on war with Bulgaria, "betrayer of the Slav cause", was published. Italy also declared war on Bulgaria that day.
- 22
- Bulgarians take Kumanovo and SkopjeOn 22 October 1915 the Bulgarian 3rd Division entered Skopje, two days after taking Kumanovo. Serbia lost the most important road junction in its south.
- Austro-Hungarians take ŠabacThe British chronology records the capture of Šabac under 22 October 1915. Austro-Hungarian Landsturm had entered the town unopposed on 20 October.
- 24
- Bulgarians take NegotinOn 24 October 1915 the Bulgarians took Negotin on the lower Timok. Two days later they met the Austrians on the Danube, opening the river route to Turkey.
- Fighting begins at KrivolakIn late October 1915 the French 57th Division reached Krivolak on the Vardar, 30 km from Veles. It met the Bulgarians there but never reached the Serbs.
November
- 05
- Bulgarians take NišOn 5 November 1915 the Bulgarian First Army entered Niš, Serbia's wartime capital. The Central Powers won the railway to Sofia and Constantinople.
- Battle of Kačanik beginsIn early November 1915 the Bulgarians advanced through the Kačanik gorge towards the Field of Kosovo to cut the Serbs' last road south. The Serbs resisted.
- 08
- Serbs repel the Bulgarians at KačanikOn 8–10 November 1915 Serbian divisions repelled the Bulgarians attacking via the Kačanik gorge and Gnjilane towards Kosovo Field, then counter-attacked.
- Reports of an Entente loan to GreeceA British chronology says the Entente lent Greece £1.6 million on 8 November 1915. Other sources point instead to money for Athens being withheld.
- 23
- Capture of Mitrovica and PristinaOn 23 November 1915 Germans entered Pristina and Austro-Hungarians Mitrovica. Trapped on the Field of Kosovo, the Serbs began retreating to the Adriatic.
- Serbian government leaves PrizrenIn late November 1915 the Serbian government, king and high command left Prizren, the last seat of power in the country, and set out across Albania to Scutari.
- Entente note to GreeceOn 23 November 1915 four Entente envoys demanded assurance that Greece would not disarm their troops. They promised to return seized land and pay damages.
December
- 02
- Bulgarians take BitolaIn early December 1915 Bulgarian cavalry entered Bitola, the second city of Serbian Macedonia. Its defenders fell back not to Salonika but to Albania.
- French abandon KrivolakIn early December 1915 the French withdrew from Krivolak and the loop of the Vardar and Crna Reka before the Bulgarians could strike at them.
- 06
- Capture of PećIn early December 1915 the Austro-Hungarians took Montenegrin Peć, through which the main Serbian forces had retreated, and found nearly 100 hidden guns there.
- British economic pressure on GreeceOn 6 December 1915 Britain placed Greece under export restrictions. Halted supplies and detained ships were meant to force Athens to make concessions.
- 11
- Bulgarians take Dojran and GevgelijaOn 11–12 December 1915 the French and British withdrew into Greece and the Bulgarians entered Dojran and Gevgelija. The pursuit stopped at the border.
- Greece rejects the Entente demandOn 11 December 1915 Athens replied to the Allies. The Greeks kept Salonika and Fort Kara Burun but promised not to hinder the Allied defence of the city.
1916
January
- 10
- Entente notifies Greece of the transfer of the Serbs to CorfuOn 10 January 1916 the Entente ministers in Athens told Greece that the remnants of the Serbian army would be shipped from Albania to the Greek island of Corfu.
- Key eventAustrians capture LovćenOn 10 January 1916 Austro-Hungarian infantry reached the summit of Lovćen, the Montenegrin mountain fortress above Kotor. The road to Cetinje lay open.
- 13
- Austrians occupy CetinjeOn 13 January 1916 Austro-Hungarian troops entered Cetinje, Montenegro's capital, unopposed. The king and court had left; the government again sued for peace.
- Greece refuses consent to the occupation of CorfuOn 13 January 1916 the Skouloudis government protested at the French occupation of Corfu, citing its perpetual neutrality. The Entente did not yield.
- 15
- First Serbian soldiers on CorfuIn mid-January 1916 the first Serbian soldiers from Albania began to arrive on Corfu. Many were so exhausted that they died soon after coming ashore.
- Serbian government moves to BrindisiIn mid-January 1916 Pašić's government left threatened Scutari and sailed to Brindisi in Italy. A few days later it moved on from there to Corfu.
- King Peter leaves SalonikaOn 15 January 1916 King Peter I of Serbia sailed from Salonika on a French warship. He went to take a cure at the spa of Edipsos on the Greek island of Euboea.
- 23
- Austrians occupy ScutariOn the evening of 23 January 1916 Austro-Hungarian troops entered Scutari unopposed, ending half a year of Montenegrin rule in northern Albania's chief town.
- Austrians take PodgoricaAround 23 January 1916 the Austrians entered Podgorica, Montenegro's largest town. In the turmoil of those days the Albanian leader Isa Boletini was killed.
February
April
May
June
July
August
September
- 01
- Romanians outside HermannstadtOn 1 September 1916 Romanian troops stood a few km from almost defenceless Hermannstadt, and burghers offered its surrender. The Romanians did not enter.
- Allies seize German ships at PiraeusOn 1 September 1916 an Entente squadron anchored off Salamis and seized German and Austrian ships at Piraeus. Next day the envoys demanded telegraph control.
- 11
- Zaimis resignsOn 11 September 1916 the Greek prime minister Alexandros Zaimis resigned. Talks on entering the war had stalled, and French pressure on Athens kept growing.
- Surrender of the Greek IV Corps at KavalaOn 11 September 1916 the Greek IV Corps, trapped in Kavala, gave itself up to the Germans to avoid Bulgarian captivity. The Bulgarians took the town next day.
- 26
- Battle of Hermannstadt beginsOn 26 September 1916 the German Ninth Army attacked the Romanians at Hermannstadt, and the Alpenkorps came down onto the Red Tower Pass road behind them.
- Venizelos forms a provisional government on CreteOn 26 September 1916 Venizelos and Admiral Kountouriotis landed on Crete and formed a provisional government at Chania, opposed to the government in Athens.
October
- 09
- Central Powers retake BrașovOn 9 October 1916, after two days of street fighting, German and Hungarian troops took Brașov. The Romanian Second Army fell back at night to the passes.
- Venizelos arrives in SalonikaOn 9 October 1916 Eleftherios Venizelos arrived in Salonika and, with Admiral Kountouriotis and General Danglis, headed the government of National Defence.
- 10
- Entente ultimatum on the Greek fleetOn 10 October 1916 Admiral Dartige du Fournet demanded Greece's light warships, the disarming of its large ones and control of Piraeus, police and railway.
- Lambros becomes prime minister of GreeceOn 10 October 1916 the historian Spyridon Lambros took office in Athens. His cabinet of officials and professors at once faced a French admiral's ultimatum.
November
- 19
- Allies take BitolaOn 19 November 1916 French and Serbian cavalry, followed by French and Russian infantry, entered Bitola. It was the first Serbian town recovered from the enemy.
- Entente demands expulsion of Central Powers envoys from AthensOn 19 November 1916 Admiral Dartige du Fournet ordered the German, Austrian, Bulgarian and Turkish ministers out of Greece, three days after demanding arms.
- 23
- Key eventProvisional government declares war on Germany and BulgariaOn 23 November 1916 Venizelos's National Defence government in Salonika declared war on Germany and Bulgaria. Greece now had two governments, one at war.
- Mackensen crosses the DanubeOn 23 November 1916, in fog, German, Bulgarian and Austro-Hungarian troops crossed the Danube from Svishtov to Zimnicea and set off for Bucharest.
December
- 01
- Fighting in AthensOn 1 December 1916 Greek troops fired on the Entente landing party in Athens and French ships shelled the city. In the evening the king gave up six batteries.
- Start of the Battle of the ArgeșOn 1 December 1916 General Prezan’s Romanian strike group hit the flank of the Danube Army near Bucharest. But the Germans captured the Romanian battle plan.
- Romanian government moves to IașiIn late November and early December 1916 the ministries, court and Allied legations left Bucharest for Iași. Brătianu's cabinet left on 3 December.
1917
January
- 05
- Germans take BrăilaOn 5 January 1917 German cavalry and Bulgarian infantry entered Brăila, the great grain port on the Danube. The Russians withdrew behind the Siret.
- End of the fighting in DobrujaOn 5 January 1917 the last Russians from the bridgehead at Măcin crossed the Danube. All of Dobruja except the delta was now in the hands of the Central Powers.
March
April
May
June
- 12
- Key eventAbdication of King ConstantineOn 12 June 1917 King Constantine I, forced by the Entente, left Athens, leaving the throne to his younger son Alexander. He did not formally abdicate.
- Entente occupies Thessaly and the Isthmus of CorinthOn 10–12 June 1917 the French occupied the Isthmus of Corinth and entered Thessaly. On 12 June they took Larissa, and a landing force went ashore at Piraeus.
July
August
September
December
1918
February
March
May
June
July
August
September
October
- 03
- Abdication of FerdinandOn 3 October 1918 Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria renounced the throne in favour of his son Boris III and left the country. The dynasty survived the defeat.
- Italians retake BeratOn 3 October 1918 the Italians, pursuing the retreating Austrians, again took Berat in Albania. The enemy fled north, burning his depots.
November
- 01
- Serbs retake Belgrade againOn 1 November 1918 the Serbian First Army entered Belgrade, which the last Central Powers troops left that day across the Sava and Danube, blowing the bridges.
- False report of Boris's abdicationIn early November 1918 news agencies reported that Tsar Boris III had abdicated and Bulgaria was a peasant republic. It was false; Boris reigned until 1943.