Jun 302 min read

211 The Balkan Verdun

As the winter of 1916-17 comes to a close, the First World War enters a new phase as one major power enter and another moves towards the door under the grip of revolution. But for Bulgaria the struggle is to hold on as a powerful series of attacks in Macedonia put its defenses to the test.

Major Characters in this Episode:

Tsar Ferdinand

King Constantine

King Alexander

Prime Minister Venizelos

Tsar Nicholas II

Alexander Protopopov

Alexander Kerensky

Vladimir Lenin

Timeline for this episode:

1917, Mar 15th - Tsar Nicholas II abdicates, leading to the formation of a provisional government.
1917, Mar 16th - Lenin arrives in Russia from exile in Switzerland.
1917, Apr 6th - The United States enters the war by declaring war on Germany.
1917, Apr 22nd - May 9th - The Second Battle of Dorian.
1917, May 3-4th - The Russian provisional government affirms its commitment to the Entente, triggering mass demonstrations.
1917, May 5-9th - The Second Battle of the Crna Bend.
1917, May 15th - A Serbian military unit led by Kosta Jovanovic sets fire to Bosilegrad, killing 32.
1917, May 29th - The Russian Consul in Thessaloniki frees 4 Bulgarian prisoners of war and sends written proposals from the Russian Provisional Government to Alexander Malinov, Stoyan Danev, and Ivan Gueshoff for Bulgaria to exit the war.
1917, June 12th - King Constantine of Greece abdicates.
1917, June 26th - Greece declares war on Bulgaria.
1917, July 1-19th - Russia undertakes the Kerensky Offensive.
1917, July 16-17th - Unrest in Petrograd.