View source for Morava Offensive

{{Short description|Operation of the Bulgarian Army}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict=Morava Offensive 
|image=M 107 9 réservistes serbes sur Morava.jpg
|caption=Serbian reservists near Morava river (Autumn 1915)
|partof=the [[Serbian campaign (1915)]]
|date=14 October 1915 – 9 November 1915
|place=front from [[Leskovac]] to [[Negotin]], [[Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia]]
|result= Bulgarian victory
|combatant1={{flagcountry|Kingdom of Bulgaria}}
|combatant2={{flagcountry|Kingdom of Serbia}}
|commander1={{flagicon|Kingdom of Bulgaria}} [[Kliment Boyadzhiev]]
|commander2={{flagicon|Kingdom of Serbia}} [[Stepa Stepanovic]]
|strength1={{plainlist|
*[[First Army (Bulgaria)|First Army]]: 195,620 men
*116,569 rifleman
*108 machine guns
*422 cannons<ref>''Българската армия в Световната война, vol. II'', pag. 892–905; Държавна печатница,София 1938</ref>
}}
|strength2={{plainlist|
*[[Second Army (Serbia)|Second Army]] – 5 infantry divisions: 90,000 riflemen
*94 machine guns
*248 cannons<ref>''Българската армия в Световната война, vol. II'', pag. 918–921; Държавна печатница,София 1938</ref>
}}
|casualties1={{plainlist|
*1,906 killed
*10,637 wounded
*925 missing<ref>''Българската армия в Световната война, vol. IV '', pag. 1028; Държавна печатница,София 1940</ref>
}}
|casualties2=6,000 casualties
|campaignbox={{Campaignbox Serbia WWI}}
}}

The ''' Morava Offensive Operation''' ({{langx|bg|Моравска настъпателна операция}}), ({{langx|sr|Битка на Морави}}) was undertaken by the [[First Army (Bulgaria)|Bulgarian First Army]] between 14 October 1915 and 9 November 1915, as part of the [[Serbian Campaign (World War I)|strategic offensive operation]] of [[Army Group Mackensen (Serbia)|Army Group Mackensen]] against [[Kingdom of Serbia|Serbia]] in 1915. Under the command of [[Lieutenant General]] [[Kliment Boyadzhiev]], the [[Bulgarians]] seized the fortified areas of [[Pirot]], [[Niš]] and the valley of the river [[Great Morava|Morava]]. As a result, the [[Royal Serbian Army|Serbian forces]] were compelled to retreat towards [[Kosovo and Metohija]].

Due to the harsh weather, the defenders' strong resistance and the rough terrain, early [[Bulgaria]]n advance was slow. But because the defenders were severely outnumbered, the Bulgarians broke through near [[Pirot]] in 10 days, and the [[Serbs]] retreated to the [[Timok (river)|Timok]].

The battle continued for 27 days, and the Bulgarians penetrated up to {{nobr|90 km}} deep into Serbia's territory. The [[Serbs]] lost 6,000 men, 60 guns, and a large amount of military equipment.

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{Cite book|last=DiNardo|first=Richard L.|title=Invasion: The Conquest of Serbia, 1915|year=2015|location=Santa Barbara|publisher=Praeger|isbn=9781440800924|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9sbloQEACAAJ}}
*Атанас Пейчев и колектив, 1300 години на стража, Военно издателство, София 1984.

{{coord missing|Serbia}}

{{Bulgaria in World War I}}
{{Wars and battles involving Serbs}}

[[Category:Battles of World War I involving Bulgaria|Morava]]
[[Category:Battles of World War I involving Serbia|Morava]]
[[Category:Battles of the Balkans Theatre (World War I)|Morava]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1915]]
[[Category:1915 in Bulgaria]]
[[Category:1915 in Serbia]]
[[Category:October 1915 in Europe]]
[[Category:November 1915 in Europe]]

{{World-War-I-stub}}