Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-05
OFFER NEW WAR PROBLEM
Situation Produced by Bugar Expected Entrance Into Great
European Conflict Will Almost Exactly Reproduce
Crisis of 1913 Expert Points Out
By FRANK H. SIMONDS

THE entrance of Bulgaria into the great
War as the ally of the Central Powers
will almost exactly reproduce the military
problems at the outset of the Second Balkan
War Then now the chief objective of
Bulgarian strategy was the Oriental railroad,
which connects Belgrade with Salonika and
binds Servia to her Greek ally.
In 1918 General Savoff, chief of the
Bulgarian General Staff, planned to dispose
OF Servia by one tremendous surprise blow
with the main mass of Bulgarian troops,
using a small containing force against the
Greeks. His whole strategy lay in isolating
the two allies by cutting the Oriental rail-
road, the only line of communication between
the two states.
Today the first aim of the Bulgarians must
be the same. Servia, isolated from her Greek
and Entente allies assailed in front by the
Germans either along the Danube or on the
Bosnian frontier, dependent upon Salonika
for all supplies and renforcements, should
prove an easy victim if the railroads were
once cut.
The aim of the German, as contrasted with
Bulgarian, strategy must be to sweep south
along the valley of the Vardar moving by
the Salonika railroad until Nish is reached
and then turning east on the Nish Sofia
Constantinople railroad.
BulgarO-German Strategy
Thus the twofold purpose of Bulgaro-
German strategy must be: An attack upon
the Salonika-B Belgrade railroad by the Bull
garians, designed to isolate Servia; a great
drive" by the Germans south from the
Danube to the Bulgarian frontier, opening the
Oriental railroad for the transport of German
troops and munitions to the Turkish capital
In 1913 Savof approached his simpler
problems in the following fashion: Bulgar
troops were in Macedonia and occupied all
the district between KustendiI and Istib. Tho
main Servian force was southeast of Uskub,
facing Istib, and behind the Bregalnitza
River, just east of Veles. Against this army,
without warning and without declaration of
war, Savoff hurled the victors of Lule-
Burgas.
AT the same hour the second Bulgarian
army about Killss, 40 miles north of Salonika.
detached a force which cut the SaIonlka-
Belgrade railroad at Guevgheli and for the
moment isolated Servia. At the same time
the balance of this army undertook to hold
in check the main Greek army advancing
from Salonika.
Unfortunately for the Bulgarians their
numbers were inadequate for the work
undertaken. After brief period Of confusion
the Serbs rallied, took the offensive and In
a Ave days struggle cut the main Bulgar
army in half, driving one portion through
Istib and over the mountains into old Bull
garia, around Kustendil, and the other south
upon Strumnitza.
At the same time a Greco-serb force
expelled the Bulgar detachment from tho
Vardar Valley, at Guevgheli, driving il alsa
in on strumnitza. Finally. the main Greek
army easily and quickly overpowered the
second Bulgar army about Kinks and drove
it northeast of Strumnitza. small BuIger
force operating around seres and Kavala was
also obliged to fee north TO escape capture,
and the three beaten armies made their
escape through the struma passes.
Gear Ferdinand's Task
Today Bulgaria win have to start behind A
frontier drawn by her old enemies. She will
have TO begin any attack upon the Oriental
railroad between Uskub and veles behind
the mountains which separate her from
Macedonia; that is. she will have 10 start at
Kustendil instead OF at Istib. At only one
point win her armies be. at the outset within
striking distance Of the Oriental railroad ana !.
that is at strumnitza, where Bulgar territory
is within dozen miles OF the railway II Is
at this point that Macedonian comitadils
made a foray some months ago
Meantime the Allied troops landed At
salonika can be transported by rain TO the
Gueyghel danger point In a brief time. Bll-
garia. on her side, will have 70 operate far
from railroads. depending upon mountain
roads and paths. This was one OF the causes
q I. I..-