The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

and had they reinforced the Serbian front with only 150,000 men, before beginning the fatal negotiations with Bulgaria, the Serbian tragedy would never have taken place. Bulgaria would probably never have dared to side with the enemy. Greece would not have betrayed Serbia, and Roumania would have entered the war many months before. How many thousands of noble lives would have been spared, and how many millions of national wealth would not have been wasted in making good the mistakes of those who sometimes place personal prejudices before the greatest interests of the nations ?

But still, in such a terrible situation the Serbian Headquarters did not lose its head. When further resistance on the Serbian soil was impossible, they set up the task of withdrawing as many of the troops as possible. That task was accomplished, and only those who were in the retreat with the Serbian army through Albania can witness what a hell it was.

A painful operation was to be performed before climbing the black Montenegrin and bare Albanian mountains. Retiring always under the enemy’s pressure, ceaselessly fighting on every advantageous position, the Serbian soldiers were terribly exhausted, and their ammunition was nearing its end. As it was impossible to take them over goat-tracks, the heavy cars and fieldguns were destroyed in the sight of the soldiers,

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