Austria-Hungary's Swift Victory Over Serbia: How And Why?

On July 28, 1914, one month after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife by a Serbian nationalist, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I. Threatened by Serbian ambition in the Balkans, Austria-Hungary, with German encouragement, presented Serbia with an ultimatum, demanding the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the participation of Austro-Hungarian officials in the investigation of the archduke's killing. Despite Serbia accepting all but one of the demands, Austria-Hungary broke diplomatic relations and initiated military preparations. The conflict escalated into a global war, drawing in Russia, Germany, France, and the British Empire. The first Austrian invasion of Serbia, led by General Oskar Potiorek, was unsuccessful, with three attempts repelled by the Serbians and their Montenegrin allies. The Serbian victory at the Battle of Cer is considered the first Allied victory of World War I, and the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Army is known as one of the great upsets of modern military history.

The Austrian invasion of Serbia

On 28 July 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, marking the beginning of World War I. The conflict was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, and his wife in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 by a Serbian nationalist. This assassination heightened tensions between the two nations, with Austria-Hungary viewing Serbia as a threat to the stability of its multi-ethnic empire.

Austria-Hungary, backed by Germany, presented Serbia with an ultimatum on 23 July 1914, demanding the suppression of anti-Austrian propaganda and the involvement of Austro-Hungarian officials in the investigation of the Archduke's assassination. Despite Serbia accepting all but one of the demands, Austria-Hungary broke off diplomatic relations on 25 July and commenced military preparations.

The first invasion of Serbia, dubbed a "punitive expedition", was commanded by Austrian General Oskar Potiorek. However, the Austro-Hungarian forces faced a series of defeats, as their three invasion attempts were successfully repelled by the Serbian and Montenegrin armies. The victory at the Battle of Cer is considered the first Allied victory of World War I, and the defeat of the Austro-Hungarian Army by Serbia was an upset in modern military history.

Following the initial defeats, Austria-Hungary launched a second offensive in early September 1914, this time targeting Serbia's western front along the Drina River. This assault was also met with strong resistance, leading to a stalemate. Undeterred, the Austro-Hungarian forces launched a third offensive, achieving some success in the Battle of Kolubara and forcing the Serbs to evacuate Belgrade on 30 November. However, by 15 December, a Serbian counterattack had retaken the city and forced the Austro-Hungarian forces to retreat once more.

The Serbian campaign proved to be a challenging and costly endeavour for Austria-Hungary, as they faced multiple defeats and setbacks. The victories by the Serbian forces, despite their numerical inferiority and lack of modern weaponry, demonstrated their determination and resilience in defending their nation.

The Serbian victory at the Battle of Cer

The Battle of Cer, fought from 15 to 24 August 1914, was the first Allied victory in World War I. The Austro-Hungarian Army, commanded by Oskar Potiorek, invaded Serbia and attempted to avenge the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. However, they were defeated at Cer Mountain after heavy fighting.

The battle was part of the first Austro-Hungarian invasion of Serbia and began when elements of the Serbian 1st Combined Division encountered Austro-Hungarian outposts on the slopes of Cer Mountain. The clashes escalated into a battle for control of several towns and villages near the mountain, especially Šabac. On 19 August, the morale of the Austro-Hungarians collapsed, and thousands of soldiers retreated into Austria-Hungary, with many drowning in the Drina River. The Serbs re-entered Šabac on 24 August, marking the end of the battle.

The Serbian victory was significant as it was the first defeat of the Central Powers in World War I. It also marked the first aerial dogfight of the war, when Serbian aviator Miodrag Tomić encountered an Austro-Hungarian plane while performing a reconnaissance mission. The battle demonstrated the determination and resilience of the Serbian forces, who were highly motivated and experienced from the Balkan Wars. Despite being outgunned and poorly equipped, the Serbs successfully repelled the Austro-Hungarian invasion.

The Austro-Hungarians suffered heavy casualties, with estimates ranging from 6,000 to 10,000 soldiers killed, 30,000 wounded, and 4,500 taken as prisoners of war. Serbian casualties were also high, with 3,000 to 5,000 killed and 15,000 wounded. The victory at the Battle of Cer drew worldwide attention to Serbia and won the Serbs sympathy from neutral and Allied countries, who offered financial, political, humanitarian, and military aid.

The July Crisis

Austria-Hungary sought to inflict a military blow on Serbia, to demonstrate its own strength and to dampen Serbian support for Yugoslav nationalism, viewing it as a threat to the unity of its multi-national empire. However, wary of the reaction of Russia (a major supporter of Serbia), Austria-Hungary sought a guarantee from its ally, Germany, that Berlin would support Austria in any conflict. Germany guaranteed its support through what came to be known as the "blank cheque", but urged Austria-Hungary to attack quickly to localise the war and avoid drawing in Russia.

On 23 July, Austria-Hungary made its ultimatum to Serbia. Before Serbia replied, Russia ordered a secret, but noticed, partial mobilisation of its armed forces. Russia’s partial mobilisation—the first major military action not undertaken by a direct participant in the conflict between Austria-Hungary and Serbia—increased the willingness of Serbia to defy the threat of an Austro-Hungarian attack; it also alarmed the German leadership, having not anticipated the idea of needing to fight Russia before France.

On 28 July, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. This was effectively the beginning of the First World War.

The July Ultimatum

• The banning of Serbian publications responsible for anti-Austrian propaganda.
• The removal of anti-Austrian individuals from the Serbian military, government and civil service.
• The removal of Serbian teachers and curriculum that promoted or incited anti-Austrian feeling.
• The outlawing and disbanding of the Serbian nationalist group, Narodna Odbrana ('People's Defence').
• A crackdown on cross-border arms trading and the removal of corrupt border officials.
• A joint Serbian-Austrian investigation into the assassination plot, conducted within Serbia by Austrian officials, and involving the investigation and interrogation of Serbian civilians and military personnel.

Serbia was given 48 hours to respond to the ultimatum. While Serbia sought counsel from the Russians, Tsar Nicholas II and his ministers refused to offer any military guarantees as they were aware that Russia's military readiness lagged behind Germany's. The Serbs submitted to most of the demands but rejected the Austrian-led inquiry demanded by point six, which they considered a breach of Serbian sovereignty.

The rejection of the ultimatum led to Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia on July 28, 1914, triggering a chain reaction that dragged the nations of Europe into World War I.

The Balkan Wars

The First Balkan War had several causes, including the failure of the Ottoman Empire to reform and govern satisfactorily, rising ethnic nationalism among its diverse peoples, and the oppression of Christian populations under Ottoman rule. The Great Powers, including Russia, Britain, France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, and Germany, had conflicting interests in the region, which further contributed to tensions.

The Second Balkan War broke out when Bulgaria attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, in June 1913. Montenegro and the Ottoman Empire later joined against Bulgaria, and Romania invaded from the north, violating a peace treaty. The conflict ended with the Treaty of Bucharest, which partitioned Macedonia, changed Balkan borders, and established an independent Albania. Bulgaria managed to retain some territorial gains from the First Balkan War, including parts of Macedonia and Western Thrace.

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