The reconstruction of South-Eastern Europe, page 147

SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

howitzers, which they lacked altogether, and machine-guns, of which they had not a sufficient quantity.

Austria-Hungary sustained these enormous losses without achieving any results. The Serbian Army remained ready for a new struggle. If the Serbs were diminished in numbers, their moral was higher than ever. There was no Austro-Hungarian general who could undertake a new offensive in Serbia without an army 400,000 strong. But she could not send such an army without compromising her chance of success in Galicia.

She committed the grave fault of underestimating her enemy, attacking him with inadequate forces, thus losing more and achieving nothing. Serbia may, with legitimate pride, look back at her achievements and the service done for the common cause. She had riveted on her battle-fields enormous forces of the common foe, and had already annihilated forces nearly equalling her total strength.

Of course, such results could only have been achieved by the intelligent and patriotic action of the self-sacrificing Serbian officers. The appalling list of dead and wounded officers is the best evidence of how they fulfilled their duty, and how much they have deserved of the Fatherland. The old King Peter, too, in the most critical hour came forward to the front. He visited the trenches and spoke to the men words worthy

131