Roads to the Great War

At the outset of World War I, Serbia found itself facing the might of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which sought to crush Serbia's independence and expand its own influence in the Balkans. On August 12, 1914, the Austro-Hungarian forces launched a large-scale offensive against Serbia, aiming to swiftly overrun the Serbian defenses and assert control over the region. 

However, the Serbian army, under the command of General Stepa Stepanović, was determined to resist. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the Serbian soldiers displayed remarkable courage and tactical skill throughout the battle. They would deliver the first Allied victory of the Great War.

The Battle of Mt. Cer fought about 60 miles west of Belgrade began on August 15, 1914, when the Austro-Hungarian forces crossed the Drina River and advanced towards Mt. Cer. The Serbian troops, entrenched in defensive positions along the hills overlooking the valley, unleashed a withering barrage of artillery fire and rifle volleys upon the advancing enemy.

Over the course of several days of intense fighting, the Serbian soldiers repelled wave after wave of Austro-Hungarian assaults, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy. Despite fierce resistance, the Austro-Hungarian advance stalled, and their forces were unable to break through the Serbian lines.

On August 20, 1914, the Serbian army launched a counteroffensive, driving the Austro-Hungarian forces back across the Drina River and inflicting a decisive defeat upon them. By August 24, the Battle of Mt. Cer had ended in a resounding victory for Serbia.

The Battle of Mt. Cer was a costly engagement for both sides. Serbian casualties numbered around 3,000 killed and wounded, while the Austro-Hungarian losses exceeded 6,000 men. Despite the heavy toll, the Serbian victory at Mt. Cer bolstered the morale of the Allied powers and demonstrated Serbia's determination to resist foreign aggression; a fact that, unfortunately, seems to have been forgotten by the successor states of the former aggressors in the present day.