THE SALONIKA FRONT (1915-1918) /1

Despite the fact that during World War 1 the Western Front was the main front, the Balkan States (Serbia, Montenegro, Greece, Albania, Rumania, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire) constituted a stage of military operations of major importance.

By the end of 1914, the military situation had been blocked. In April 1915, in search of a defensive strategic maneuver, the Allies attempted a landing in the Strait of the Dardanelles in order to isolate the Ottoman Empire, which was an ally of Germany, and lend a helping hand to the Russians. A small part of the troops were then sent to the Greek town of Thessaloniki (Salonika), as of 1912, in support of the Serbian army which, since October 1915, had been fighting an attack from Austria, Germany and Bulgaria, but was forced to retreat via Montenegro and Albania up to the Adriatic Sea, where they embarked for Corfu and Bizerte. On failing to prevent the Bulgarian advance, the Franco-British troops moved into Thessaloniki, where they set up camp, later reinforced by Serbs, Italians and Russians. The Allies were hoping, in this way, to establish a stronghold in Greece and lend support to Rumania, which had gone to war in August 1916.

The text was translated by Lina Kiryttopoulou.