The Story of the Great War, Volume 2: History of the European War from Official Sources
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume 2: History of the European War from Official Sources
World War, 1914-1918
During that first day of fighting the First Army captured twelve
officers, 1,500 men, five mountain howitzers and four machine guns, then
advanced, until by nightfall it was able to take up a position along a
line from Kostuniche to Vranovicha. During this time the Uzitsha Army
was fiercely attacked in its position on both sides of the Western
Morava Valley, but it succeeded in driving back the assaults. The Third
Army had also advanced slowly toward Lipet, taking over 500 prisoners
and two machine guns. The Second Army met desperate opposition, but
finally began surging ahead and soon sent in its share of captured war
material and prisoners.
In the north an important force of the Austrians was making toward
Belgrade, to lead a triumphal entry. Reconnoitering parties, sent out
from the flank of this body, were seen in the direction of Slatina and
Popovitch.
The decided successes of this first day's fighting acted as a powerful
stimulant on the previously depressed Serbian rank and file, though they
still realized that there was many a hard fought attack to be driven
into the vitals of the ponderous body of the enemy before he could be
finally hurled back across the frontier. The Austrians still remained in
possession of mountain positions of great natural strength, which could
only be taken at the point of the bayonet. But the Serbians had
recovered their _morale_; again they were fighting with that energy and
vigor which had characterized their assaults during the first and second
invasions. And they were amply rewarded.
By December 5, 1914, the First Army had retaken the dominating heights
of the Suvobor Mountains and the summit of Rajatz. The Third Army, after
buckling back a stubborn resistance, advanced as far as Vrlaja during
the day. During that same night the Austrians were driven from Lipet,
leaving 2,000 of their own number behind as prisoners. The Second Army,
on its part, had pushed steadily on and by night it reached Kremenitza
and Barosnevatz. The Uzitsha Army, opposed by greater numbers, was
unable to participate in the general forward movement, but, on the other
hand, it held its own during the day's fighting. During that night it
hurled itself at the enemy, and by morning he was retreating toward
Zelenibreg.
There was now no longer any doubt that the chances of success for this
third invasion of Serbia were beginning to assume very slender
proportions. The three army corps in the Austrian center and right had
been completely broken and were now retreating in mad, disorganized
flight toward Valievo and Rogatitza. Even should the Serbians fail to
follow up this section of the enemy's forces with full vigor; even
should it have a few days for re-forming, the loss of so much war
material made such a possibility very difficult. There would hardly be
time, under any circumstance, to draw fresh supplies from over the
frontier before the Serbians could come up with them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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