13 – Chapter 13: Serbia’s Nationwide War (2)
August 16, 1914, the Serbian Vardar River Front.
King Peter I of Serbia ascended to the throne through a bloody coup d’état orchestrated by the Black Hand.
“Your Majesty! Only you have the qualifications to lead Serbia. Please guide the nation on the right path, instead of that Austrian dog!”
At the point when the king from the Obrenović dynasty was tragically assassinated and left to rot in a pigsty, the “coronation” had to be accepted.
Being aware that he had taken the throne through the support of hardline nationalists, he installed Nikola Pašić as prime minister to satisfy his supporters and strengthen Greater Serbia.
“Serbia must reach the sea! We must obtain a free port from Austria! That is the destiny of Serbia!”
Such a policy inevitably caused conflicts with Austria, which dominated a significant part of the South Slavic population.
“Are the Serbians crazy? They dare to confront us without even having a proper nation?”
“They must be out of their minds if they covet the protection of the empire.”
“Stop complaining and live within the borders we drew.”
Serbia responded in its own Serbian way.
“Are we a Habsburg puppet state? Or are we a sovereign nation?”
Even if they were economically under the influence of Austria, they could not allow interference in their national policies.
Serbia attempted to expand the market for its main export, pork, to Bulgaria, Germany, and France. Austria-Hungary, the largest importer of Serbian pork, saw this as a challenge.
“Shall we have a showdown? Let’s raise tariffs!”
The friction between the two sides gradually escalated towards a tipping point through the Bosnian Crisis and the Pig War.
“Die! Ferdinand! Enemy of the Serbian nation!”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
The ongoing friction and confrontation eventually exploded with the Sarajevo Incident, leading to the outbreak of World War I.
Nevertheless, Serbia did not fear Austria.
“We have Russia behind us. What’s there to be afraid of when we have a great power with the largest army in Europe supporting us!”
Serbia, believing in the support of its elder brother Russia, stood against Austria, but from the first week of the war, they realized that they were fighting in a much more difficult situation than they had imagined.
“We have long forgotten the fact that Russia’s support is far away while Austria’s fist is close.”
It was a realization that came too late.
Austria’s offensive was crushing Serbia.
“We will wipe Serbia off the map! We will show these swine what happens when they touch Austria’s dignity!”
In this difficult situation, Crown Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević, who had taken command of the Serbian army, listened to the words of General Ljubomir Putnik, the de facto commander-in-chief, with a serious expression.
They may have achieved victory on the battlefield, but the war was just beginning. There was no guarantee that they would be able to withstand the next furious attack from Austria.
“While we managed to repel Austria’s initial assault with difficulty, it is practically impossible to hold our current position if the conflict prolongs. The Austrian army continues to grow, while our forces defending the front are running out of ammunition and artillery.”
Putnik’s words were not an exaggeration. Through harsh conscription, they had gathered all able-bodied men in the country, but the available personnel were not sufficient, excluding the elderly and infirm who were of no use in battle.
The support weapons they had were either insufficient or excessively worn out. They lacked flamethrowers to arm the infantry.
It was a desperate situation where they couldn’t even use rifles that were used during the Napoleonic Wars.
On the other hand, Austria had not only enough support weapons but also a larger number of troops than the combined Serbian army.
It was a situation where the Austro-Hungarian army, already approaching a million, had revealed itself on the front lines.
There was no need to mention that the gap would widen as time went on.
From the beginning, Austria was a country 12 times larger in population and 35 times stronger in economic power than Serbia.
Serbia was not on equal footing to fight one-on-one.
“If we retreat from the border, won’t we lose Belgrade? If we lose Belgrade, all that will remain in this country is a poor countryside, Your Excellency.”
“It is an inevitable problem. By trying to protect what we cannot protect, we may end up losing everything. Your Highness, which will you choose to protect, Belgrade or Serbia?”
The Crown Prince did not hide his bitter emotions. It felt like bitter water rising up to his throat. The General’s words were true.
With Serbia’s overwhelmingly inferior national power, they could not protect the capital, Belgrade.
Unfortunately, the center of the kingdom was located too close to the border. It was strange to think that defense was possible when they were bombarded by Austria on the first day of the war.
The enemy ruthlessly discussed Serbia’s strategy.
“We need to establish a defensive line in the inland mountains and be prepared to retreat to Macedonia if necessary. We must also be prepared for the sacrifices of our people.”
In return, the corpses of dying Serbians would form mountains.
But that was the essence of war.
Where can you find a war without sacrifice?
The Crown Prince nodded reluctantly.
Yet, there was still some hope.
Serbia was at a disadvantage in almost every aspect, but it was not completely inferior to Austria.
The country was small and poor, but its unity as a single ethnic group overwhelmed Austria in terms of solidarity. They had also gained considerable practical experience from two Balkan Wars fought within two years.
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In contrast, Austria had fought in wars long ago and was somewhat outdated in terms of doctrine and tactics. Their multi-ethnic army couldn’t even communicate with each other.
The military organization itself was more like an administrative organization for maintaining public order than a group prepared for war.
Moreover, the majority of the imperial army, the Slavs, were not particularly loyal to Vienna.
“We must use our few advantages to exploit the weaknesses of the enemy. Fortunately, our enemy is not as thorough and strong as Germany. Austrians lack perseverance and their military discipline is poor.”
Futnik believed that Serbia could survive by utilizing these few advantages to induce maximum bleeding from Austria.
Of course, Serbia could also be destroyed before achieving this goal.
An officer entered the briefing room where the briefing was in progress. Futnik stopped speaking and turned his gaze.
“Your Highness, a specialist has arrived from Belgrade. It’s classified as Class 1.”
Instead of confirming it himself, Futnik allowed the Crown Prince to see it first.
As soon as Aleksandar confirmed the contents, he frowned.
“Albania surrendered to Berlin this afternoon. They have declared that the weapons and troops of the third country cannot pass through their territory. How can they go so far against us?”
“Are you saying that Albania surrendered?”
The Crown Prince crumpled the paper in his hand.
Germany threatened the King of Albania, saying that they would provide compensation if the Triple Entente negotiators used any port. Even so, Albania was in no position to regain their composure due to internal issues.
Berlin and Vienna spared no means or methods to crush Serbia, which was nothing compared to their own forces.
Their relentless malice had become even more fearsome.
As a result, Serbia found itself in a difficult position.
The plan to rely on French military supplies for the war had completely collapsed. Serbia’s industrial capacity was insufficient to replenish equipment, let alone fill some of the ammunition shortage.
“If Albania is blocked, we must borrow a port from another country, Your Majesty. Otherwise, we will be sitting idle.”
“I am aware.”
The Crown Prince also understood to that extent.
Romania, which could be used instead of Albania, was too far away to serve as a supply route for materials coming from France.
The cost and time involved were incomparable to using Albania.
For Serbia, already struggling with people and finances, such expenditures were an unbearable burden.
If possible, they had to borrow the ports of Greece and Montenegro, which were alternative options.
“I must go to Belgrade myself. I will discuss with the cabinet and make every diplomatic effort possible. Please do your best until the problem is resolved.”
From the royal family to the shepherds in the valleys, Serbia stood united, regardless of status.
But the gap in national power that touched their skin was unavoidable. Serbia was simply not on par with the great powers in terms of the battlefield, diplomatic stage, or productivity.
Was it a mistake to refuse Austria’s ultimatum from the beginning?
Or is it the fault of the military, who tolerated the actions of nationalist supporters intoxicated by Serbian nationalism?
The Crown Prince felt stifled.
It felt like Serbia’s good fortune was fading away like a dying candle.