The Drina River is an important symbol of Serbian national identity, serving as the boundary between Bosnia and Serbia. By the outbreak of World War I, Bosnia had been under the control of Austria-Hungary since 1878. The Serbian defeat of Austro-Hungarian forces at the Battle of Cer in August 1914 was the first Allied victory over the Central Powers during World War I. Stanislav Binički composed what became known as "March on the Drina" shortly after the battle to commemorate the Serbian victory. He dedicated it to his favourite commander in the army, Pukovnik or Colonel Milivoje Stojanović Brka, who fought at the Battle of Cer but who was killed in a subsequent battle in December. His composition was initially titled "March to Victory". Some scholars have hypothesized that Binički based his work on an Ottoman Turkish military march. "March on the Drina" symbolized the desire of Serbs in the Kingdom of Serbia to unite with those living in Bosnia. The song experienced widespread popularity during and after World War I. It was seen as a symbol of Serbian resistance to the Central Powers and became one of the most famous Serbian nationalist songs, as described by author Eric D. Gordy.