The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe, str. 154

THE RECONSTRUCTION OF

their advance was stopped. Further south the Serbs had only two newly organised divisions, whose battalions had no more than 600 rifles with very small numbers of machine-guns and artillery pieces. The Bulgars had there four brigades belonging to the 5th and 7th Divisions and parts of the 2nd and 11th Divisions. Therefore their advance to Skoplje (Uskub) and Veles could not be prevented, and they occupied both towns after much sanguinary fighting. The Bulgars sent strong numbers to Kaéanik Pass and to Karadag, but their advance was stopped there, until circumstances on the other front obliged the Serbs to abandon those positions also.

Always fighting and retreating until the end of October, the Serbians entertained the hope that the British and French troops would arrive in time, and in joining with the Serbian army would be able to frustrate all enemy schemes. Not only were the military operations influenced by this hope, but the Serbian population also remained calm until the last moment, and very few took any measures to protect their lives or to save a portion of their property by escaping to Greece and allied countries.

In the first days of November the Serbian Headquarters became aware that the Allied contingents would not be able to join the Serbian Army north of Skoplje, therefore the Higher Command resolved to abandon the northern

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