Part of the Macedonian front and Balkans Theatre of World War I
A Bulgarian telephone station at Lake Doiran, March 1917
Date
15–29 September 1918
Location
Vardar Macedonia (present day North Macedonia)
Result
Decisive Entente victory
Armistice of Salonica
Belligerents
Bulgaria
Germany
Serbia
France
United Kingdom
Greece
Italy
Commanders and leaders
Friedrich von Scholtz
Kuno von Steuben
Georgi Todorov
Hristo Burmov
Stefan Nerezov
Vladimir Vazov
Louis F. d'Esperey
Paul Prosper Henrys
Živojin Mišić
Petar Bojović
Stepa Stepanović
George Milne
Henry Wilson
Panagiotis Danglis
Panagiotis Gargalidis
Ernesto Mombelli
Units involved
Army Group Scholtz
11th Army[Note 1]
1st Army
Allied Army of the Orient
Armée d'Orient
1st Army[Note 2]
2nd Army
Salonika Army
Serres Division
Cretan Division
35th Division
Strength
2 armies
500 artillery pieces
3 divisions
822 artillery pieces
2 corps
6 divisions
4 divisions
1 division
Casualties and losses
unknown dead and wounded
77,000 captured
500 artillery pieces lost
3,449
3,215
4,589
5,295
747
Total: 17,295 casualties[3]
v
t
e
Macedonian front
Krivolak
Kosturino
1st Doiran
Florina
Struma
Monastir
Malka Nidzhe
Kaymakchalan
1st Crna Bend
2nd Monastir
2nd Doiran
2nd Crna Bend
Skra-di-Legen
Vardar
Dobro Pole
3rd Doiran
Liberation of Serbia
Vladai Uprising [bg]
The Vardar offensive (Bulgarian: Офанзива при Вардар) was a World War I military operation, fought between 15 and 29 September 1918. The operation took place during the final stage of the Balkans Campaign. On September 15, a combined force of Serbian, French and Greek troops attacked the Bulgarian-held trenches in Dobro Pole ("Good Field"), at the time part of Serbia (present-day North Macedonia). The assault and the preceding artillery preparation had devastating effects on Bulgarian morale, eventually leading to mass desertions.
On September 18, a second Entente formation assaulted the Bulgarian positions in the vicinity of Lake Doiran. Effectively employing machine gun and artillery fire the Bulgarians managed to stall the Allied advance on the Doiran sector. However the collapse of the front at Dobro Pole forced the Bulgarians to withdraw from Doiran. The Allies pursued the German 11th Army and the Bulgarian 1st Army, while pushing deeper into Vardar Macedonia. By 29 September, the Allies had captured the former HQ of Skopje, thus endangering the remnants of the 11th Army.
The parallel development of the anti-monarchist Radomir Rebellion forced Bulgaria to sign the Armistice of Salonica and withdraw from the war. The treaty included the full capitulation of the 11th Army, bringing the final tally of Bulgarian and German prisoners to 77,000 and granting the Allies 500 artillery pieces. The Bulgarian downfall turned the strategic and operational balance of the war against the Central Powers. The Macedonian Front was brought to an end at noon on 30 September, when the ceasefire came into effect.
^Korsun 1939, p. 95.
^Thomas & Babac 2001, pp. 12–13.
^Omiridis Skylitzes 1961, p. 224.
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