New-York tribune., 1915-10-05
The New Military Problem OF the
Balkans.

Will almost exactly reproduce the military
. problems at the outset Of the Second
4. Balkan War. Then as now the chief OBJ
joctive Of Bulgarian strategy was the
Oriental railroad. which connects Bel
grade with Salonica and binds Serbia TO
her Greek ally.
In 1918 General Savof, Chief Of the
Bulgarian General staff, planned to dis
.-pose Of Serbia by one tremendous surprise
blow with the main mass of Bulgarian
troops. using small containing force
against the Greeks. His whole strategy
Law in isolating the two allies by cutting
the Oriental railroad. the only line OF
communication between the two states.
To-day the first aim Of the Bugarians
must be the same Serbia, isolated from
her Greek and Entente allies, assaied in
front bv the Germans either along the
Danube or on the Bosnian frontier. de-
pendent upon Salonica for all supplies and
reinforcements. should prove an easy VIC
tim If the railroad were once cut.
The aim of German, as contrasted with
Bulgarian. strategy must be to sweep
south along the valley Of the Vardar'
moving by the Salonica railroad until
Nish is reached. and then turning east on
the Nish- Sofa -Constantinople railroad.
Thus the twofold purpose Of Bulgaro-
German strategy must be: An attack upon
the Salonica-Begrade railroad by the Bul-
garians. designed TO isolate Serbia; a
Great drive" by the Germans south from
tho Danube 10 the Bulgarian frontier,
opcninr the Oriental railroad for the
transport Of German troops and munitions
20 the Turkish capital.
In 1913 Savoff approached his simpler
problem in the following fashion: Bulgar
troops were in Macedonia and occupied
ali N. district between Kustendil and
Tqtib The main Serbian force was south
.,ca-t Of Uskub. facing Istib, and behind
the Bregalnitza River just east Of Neles.
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 Kilkis, forty miles Iorth Of
Salonica. detached force which cut the
yalonica- Belgrade railroad at Guevgheli
and for the moment isolated Serbia. At
the same time the balance Of this army
undertook to hold in check the main Greek
army advancing from Salonica.
Unfortunately for the Bulgarians their
numbers were inadequate for the work un-
-dertaken. After q brief period Of confu-
sion the Serbs rallied, took the offensive,
and in a five days struggle cut the main
army in half, driving one portion
h Istb end over the mountains
d Bulgaria, around Kustendil, and
ler south upon Strumnitza.
the same tine Greco-Serb force
ID the Bulgar detachment from the
Tclley, at Guevghel, driving it
~ IN Strumnitza. Finally, the main
X army easily and quickly overpow
the second Bulgar army about Kill
and drove it northeast of Strumnitza.
A., email Bugar force operating around
Sores and Kavala was also obliged TO
;fiee north TO escape capture, and the
three beaten armies made their escape
through the Struma passes.
To-day Bulgaria viii have to start be-
hind frontier drawn by her old enemies.
She VIII have to begin any attack upon
the Oriental railroad between Uskub and
Veles behind the mountains which sep
crate her from Macedonia; that is, she
will have TO start at Kustendil instead Of
at Istib. At only one point will her armies
be, at the outset, within striking distance
Of the Oriental railroad and that is
at Strumnitza, where Bugar territory is
within dozen miles Of the railway. Il is
at this point that Macedonian comitcdjis
made a foray some months ago.
Meantime the Allied troops landed at
Salonica can be transported by rail to the
Cuevgheli danger point in a brief time.
Bulgaria, on her side, will have to
operate far from railroads, depending
upon mountain roads and paths. This was
\ one Of the causes Of her defeat in 1913
and may prove disastrous again. From
Nish 10 Guevgheh Serbia and her allies
will fight with their backs TO a railroad
thus being assured of supplies ard muni
tions As for Greece, if she undertakes &c
hold her own northern frontier. from the
vardar TO the Mesta. she will have behind
her the Constantinople- Salonica railroad
1t is conceivable that Bulgaria will con-
centrate her troops west of Sofia and
drive northwest through Prot to Nish.
while the Germans drive southeast from
Belgrade and Semendra toward Nish
This would open the Belgrade CONSTANT
nople railroad, but il would leave the
Serbian armies on the flank, and until the
Serb force, with its Allied reinforcements,
is disposed of, such an avenue would be
exposed 10 attacks and wholly insecure.
II Germany actually means to hack