Draft:Second Serbian–Ottoman War (1877–1878)

The Second Serbian-Turkish War of 1877-1878 was the war of the Principality of Serbia against Ottoman Turkey with the aim of liberating the southern regions and securing the full independence of Serbia. The war lasted from December 13, 1877 to February 5, 1878.

Serbia, as an ally, led a successful war in which the Serbian army reached Kosovo, Čukarka and Ćustendil in a few weeks. Thanks to those military successes, Serbia got its long-awaited independence, as well as the districts of Vranje, Prokuplje, Niš and Pirot.

Preparations for war

The goal of this war was the same as the First Serbian-Turkish War: the liberation of the Serbian people from Turkish rule and territorial expansion towards the South. The war plan of the Serbian army was based on the fact that Serbia, at the request of the great powers, cannot have pretensions towards Bosnia, as well as the request of Russia to help their army in advancing towards the south of Bulgaria. Based on these facts, the war plan predicted that three of the five Serbian corps with a total of about 46,000 men and 128 cannons would launch an attack towards the south and southeast, surround Nis, occupy Baba's Head, Bela Palanka and Pirot, and continue the advance towards Sofia in order to cooperate with Russia Danube Army.

The course of the war

War on Turkey was declared on December 13, and the operations of the Serbian army began on December 15 with the advance of three Serbian divisions (Iberian, Moravian and Danube) to the south to encircle Nis. This operation was carried out successfully and accurately, so Niš was completely surrounded in just five days of war. In order to prevent the arrival of help from Kosovo to those besieged in Niš, Colonel Lešjanin ordered the Ibar Division to occupy Kuršumlija and the strategic points of Samokovo and Prepolac, which cross the road Priština-Prokuplje-Niš. Carrying out this order, after two days of fighting on December 25, Colonel Binički's units conquered Kuršumlija, but they only managed to get close to Samokov and Prepolac and stayed there. Under the influence of the Serbian vanguards and under the pressure of the insurgents, whose number increased to 6,000 people, the Turks left Leskovac at that time and retreated to the south, closing the Grdelica Gorge. The supreme command of the Serbian army, headed by Prince Milan, was in Aleksinac from December 18.

While these operations around Nis were going on, the Timočki and Šumadija corps, under the general command of General Belimarković, operated towards the southeast, starting from Pandiral. On December 17, the Knjaževac army, under the command of lieutenant colonel Jevrem Marković, occupied the strategic position of Babina glava, and two days later, the Sveti Nikola pass. After a fierce battle, Bela Palanka was liberated on December 24. Thus, one of the main strategic goals of the Serbian command was achieved: the Turks could no longer send any aid from Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo to Sofia. Then the link between the Serbian and Russian armies was established near Ćiprovac. The Russian high command demanded a continuation of the Serbian attack to the east.

General Belimarković ordered to attack Pirot with three columns. Bloody battles were fought on December 25 at the fortified positions of Nishor, which did not yield results, so in the following days the Turkish positions were surrounded from several sides, and the Turks, who had strong forces in Pirot (12 battalions), left at dawn on December 28 city ​​so that they are not completely blocked. After the liberation of Pirot, units of the Serbian army also liberated Kula, Breznik, Trn and Radomir and were stopped near Slivnica on January 5, 1878, when they heard that the Russians had occupied Sofia.

The troops of the Šumadija Corps solemnly entered Nis on January 12, and the excited population welcomed them enthusiastically. In Niš, 267 cannons, 13,000 rifles, 7,800,000 rifle bullets, 20,000 cannon shells and others were confiscated. Two days later, the Serbian Supreme Command led by Prince Milan arrived in Niš.

From January 20 to 24, the Šumadija Corps liberated the entire Grdelica Gorge and arrived at Vranje's home. For the defense of Vranje, the Turks gathered about 7,000 fighters of the regular army and about 3,000 bashibozuk, 8 cannons and two squadrons of cavalry. Fierce fighting for Vranje was fought on January 30, so the Turks, under strong pressure from the Serbian army, left Vranje on the night of 30/31. January. The corps then turned towards Pristina, entered Gnjilane on February 4, and one of its reconnaissance units entered Gračanica on February 5, when the news of the ceasefire reached them from Jedren.

Thus, after six weeks of constant fighting in very difficult winter conditions and on impassable mountainous terrain, the Second Serbian-Turkish War was over. In it, the Serbian army showed itself in a much better light than in the First War. More experienced, more persistent, more persistent, better led, she achieved a number of notable war successes. Serbia still had significant losses in this war: 2,400 dead and 3,000 wounded.

'''Diplomatic struggle -''' At the session of the Serbian government held on January 15, 1878, it was concluded that upon the conclusion of peace, recognition of Serbian independence and the territories of Old Serbia (Kosovo vilayet, Niš, Prizren, Skopje and Novopazar sandjak) should be requested from Turkey with the addition of Vidin, as well as parts of the Sofia and Ćustendil sandjaks that she liberated (Radomir (town), Breznik, Slivnica, Ćustendil and others).

Due to the exceptional efforts of Prince Milan, Minister Ristic and Colonel Lešjanin, it was possible for Niš and Leskovac to belong to Serbia according to the San Stefano Agreement (March 3, 1878), but not the other liberated areas. Further efforts of Serbian diplomacy ensured that Pirot and Vranj districts, as well as Mali Zvornik, were assigned to Serbia at the Berlin Congress (12 June 1878). Serbia finally became an independent country.