The Destruction of Montenegro 1916

By the end of 1915, Turkey and Bulgaria had both joined the war on the side of the Central Powers Germany and Austria. However, Germany was still faced by a war on two fronts.

The Austrians were beginning to think that they could not win the war. General Conrad von Höztendorf told his government on 4 January “There is no question of destroying the Russian war machine”.

German commander in chief von Falkenhayn and the Kaiser decided to finish the war in the Balkans first by crushing the tiny mountain kingdom of Montenegro. This would allow the Austrians to concentrate on Russia.

A joint Austrian-Bulgarian offensive was organised. The attack smashed the Montenegrian army in just 9 days. On 17 January Montenegro surrendered to Austria.

From 1000 Facts on World War I by Rupert Matthews. buy your copy HERE