The Limits of Technology: The Invasion of Serbia, 1915

The invasion of Serbia in October 1915 saw the Serbian army, which had fought off three separate invasions by Austria-Hungary the year before, driven out of Serbia within six weeks. A critical land route to Turkey and Bulgaria was opened, and Austria-Hungary’s southern flank was secured. The forces of the Central Powers made extensive use of the most modern technology of the day—including railroads, bridging, aircraft, artillery and telephone—and demonstrated their potential. This article suggests that while they gave the Central Powers a major edge early, the campaign also revealed the limits of these technologies.