An Unforgettable Autumn: Bulgaria and Its Withdrawal from the First World War

Abstract

In 1918, the Bulgarian army had to face poor morale, a much more fearful enemy than the Entente. Poorly equipped and undernourished, Bulgarian soldiers were concerned about their beloved ones at home, who suffered because of a shortage of food and profiteering. The number of civilians killed by diseases and famine was so high that, in many towns, women took to the streets. In the summer of the same year, a new government came to power, hoping to keep the situation under control. The victory of the Entente’s troops at Dobro Pole caused the collapse of the Bulgarian front. Thousands of rebelled soldiers marched towards Sofia. Withdrawing from the War was the only way out. On the same day when the rebelled troops were defeated in the suburbs of Sofia, an armistice was concluded at Salonika. Bulgaria was the first combatant in the camp of the Central Powers that exited from the Great War.