The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-10-24
serb STRATEGY
TO AVOID Fight
|Unbeaten Serb Army on the
Austro-German Flank
Fatal, Says Critic.
NISH WILL BE VACATED
Mitrovitza Strategic Point Of Serb De-
Tense. While Allies Strike At Sofia :
or Constantnople.
NISH WILL BE VACATED
By CYRIL H. BRErHERToN.

SUCCESS In warfare results from the DE-
struction Of the enemy armies and not
from the occupation Of his territories. APP
plies to the fighting in the Balkans not
pires must do more than hack their way
through to constantinople. To arrive
there and then have the road behind them
blocked would be a catastrophe.
II Is therefore necessary that they not
only carve their way through but that
ley open behind them. For 1t Is only
along this valley. that is to say along
the Belgrade-Nish-Sofia railway. that
they can receive reinforcements and sup
piles. To do this they must either de-
stroy the Serbian army. in which case
they can guard the railway line with a
comparatively small force. or they must
hold between Belgrade and Sofia q force
strong enough to repel the attacks Of the
Serbian army. made with intent to cut
the Hines of communication.
Huge Force Necessary.
The latter alternative means that a
huge force Of men must be employed
and 1t is scarcely possible that Germany
and Austria, even with the assistance Of
II
stroy the Serbian and Montenegrin armies.
on the other hand. may prove an impos-
sible task. The salonika-Nish railway
runs close TO the Bulgarian border at
Vranja. II Is at this point that the Bull
garian armies are at present reported to
have cut the line. Probably they will
succeed in cutting Il permanently. But
IL they do II still will be quite easy for
the allies to send reinforcements over
knk 20
The line between Mitrovitza via Uskub
and Salontka does not run within about
fifty miles of the Bulgarian border and
II will be very difficult for the Bulgarians
to cut II. The Bulgarian strategists
clearly recognize this fact and are strik-
ing at the railroad between Uskub and
the Greek border. II is reasonably GER
tain that even II they should reach the
line between these points the allies viii
drive them from II almost Immediately.
II the Serbians retire south and west
from Nish to Mitrovitz or even farther
south to Uskub. where they can receive
supplies and achievements from the al
lies. II means that the German lines of
communication are continually threatened
on their right flank by an organized army
that may attack them at any moment
and. II successful. would cut them OF
from Austria and Germany completely.
Between Mitrovitza and Nish runs q
range Of mountains which offers admir-
able positions In case the German and
Bulgarian armies should attempt to cap
ture Mitrovitza. In addition, there is the
s Ans. Dut eIncIen, Mon,eneerin army also
80. n ~ Pos,ioh On inc hahk OF tne
ri" 80 s .i. nnes OF communicauon.
ts Niy eOuiu oe re-eniorceo oy torces
VI ohe aIhes iahued AT AVlona and pass !
ing overland ny road. and such forces
soIori,,t -. ,s "1v'L. m case une
2. aHI Ioute snouio De interiereo with.
Us uniortunate tnat the allies did not
sa ava, themselves OF tne past months TO
o,tn faroao oirect from AhuVsri 10
Nis"- -.
soma Vulnerable Point.
II Is. unite unljkeIv ,ba, III. ,,,,., Mill
SEND more thar ono or two b,,rdr.d e.
sand men 10 assist IN. Serhi.ns =, ar.
can conrregate more armies than that
at saloniki they will use the rest to strike
tendil-sofia railway or al Con.t. nt,ronI.
via Dede.pa,cb r.iIu,v tn. c..,,,.
sofia ,rouId moi he ~ .nv ,r..t Itva,.s,.
Importance hut II vouId b.vs . cor.,dsrl
abis moral effect uror , n.,to, ar, ~.
suddenly found Itself srarred int , war
with its heredItarv friend snd nro,s.,orN
Russia
whether the Russians Az. a, no.,-
,;o, g. Ia.l 80. $500 ~ posr
coast Is donhtfnI ~ th.v A. :. $500.
the moral erect vii, hs 100 A, -:
a considera NJ. Section =, a. p,,,.J.
people would receive the Ru..Jans =.
their friends Turkey a. ,unnasad =. ~
willing 10 sepd a on.rtsr ~ . ,,,,I,,on
troops to assist Rulsaria' In ~. w., -,
a Russian invasion. In the fIrs, nI.cs. n
is doubtful n such force. AZ. ~ ry,rtrev;.
disposal. and in the second plaes n would
be no small task to Yet them .cro.. m.
Balkan mountains which cut p,,Is,ri.
souareIy In half Nor would, tbs RnI-
garians welcome the appearanc. -, srch
a force with omen arms, On tns o,hsr
hand, apy Russian force that wa. ,.ndsd
in Bulgaria would have 20 h. Isndsd not
at Varna but south on the R.IE.n ,,o,,n.
tains at Burras. m n w.-. 90 A. ,,,,,ch
good Otherwise n x,ouId he .tnn,aS IN
the passes OF the RaIksn S,o,,ntaSa.
Serbs 0utnumbered,
II is not prohab,. TIA, ,h. mt.
get more than 100 ooo int s.rh;. IN
time to participate In tn as,.n.s ~
Nish. II n Is decided 20 dss.nd ,,ot
CITY. The s.rbians ar. h.,ns at.,.,as
on two fronts by forca. tnts1Tns
about SOC, 900 men Tbey thsms.ivas
probably number 200 ooo "a ,h.H 80
inferior in srtiIIery 20 th.,r .a,a
saries.
Again. while thew bav. .,ron A.
fensiye position apeinst IN. an.,rs
German attack ,he,r ne.,tis az
front =. st,,..I,,'
weak one n 4. donh,s,, :. a.
Serbians can bold N;.h 20 r,,nth