Battle of Dobro Pole

Part of the Vardar Offensive, Balkans Theatre of World War I

Tzena mountain

Date	15–18 September 1918
Location	Dobro Pole (present day Republic of Macedonia)
Result	Decisive Entente victory

Belligerents

Central Powers:

Bulgaria

Germany

Entente Powers:

France

Serbia

Greece

Commanders and leaders

Georgi Todorov

Friedrich von Scholtz

Louis Franchet d'Esperey

Živojin Mišić

Panagiotis Gargalidis

Units involved

11th German Army
2nd Bulgarian Division
3rd Bulgarian Division

Allied Army of the Orient
Armée d'Orient
1st Serbian Army
2nd Serbian Army

Strength

1 Army
158 Artillery Pieces

3 Divisions

2 Armies

3 Divisions

566 guns

Casualties and losses

+2,689 †
+3,000 (POW)
+50 Artillery Pieces

+1850 †

+200 †

+158 †

The Battle of Dobro Pole (Serbian: Битка код Доброг Поља, Bitka Kod Dobrog Polja, Greek: Μάχη του Ντόμπρο Πόλε, Máchi tou Dómbro Póle), also known as the Breakthrough at Dobro Pole (Bulgarian: Пробив при Добро Поле, Probiv Pri Dobro Pole), was a World War I battle, fought between 15 and 18 September 1918. The battle was fought in the initial stage of the Vardar Offensive, in the Balkans Theatre. On September 15, a combined force of Serbian, French and Greek troops attacked the Bulgarian-held trenches in Dobro Pole ("Good Field"), at the time part of the Kingdom of Serbia (present day Republic of Macedonia). The offensive and the preceding artillery preparation had devastating effects on Bulgarian morale, eventually leading to mass desertions.

Despite being outnumbered and poorly equipped, certain Bulgarian units offered fierce resistance, delaying the Entente advance in Zborsko. The collapse of the front-line enabled the Allies to assault Bulgarian positions from multiple directions and eventually quell the last pockets of resistance. The Central Powers' defeat at the Dobro Pole played a role in the Bulgarian withdrawal from the war and opened the way for the subsequent capture of Vardar Macedonia.

The 28 June 1914, assassination of Austro-Hungarian heir presumptive Archduke Franz Ferdinand precipitated Austria-Hungary's declaration of war against Serbia. The conflict quickly attracted the involvement of all major European countries, pitting the Central Powers against the Entente coalition, and starting World War I.

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