Serbia's Great War, 1914-1918 (review)
- Serbia's Great War, 1914-1918
The distinguished Serbian historian Andrej Mitrović has devoted much attention to the causes of the outbreak of World War I. In 1984 he published a comprehensive and well-received book dealing with the origins of World War I in the Balkans and Europe at large. A newly edited version of this book now appears in a somewhat abridged form in English translation with a well-chosen cover painting of Serbian King Peter surrounded by his commanding officers. The painting is by V. Eskičević and is aptly titled Across Albania.
The events of World War I have remained central to the underlying interest of the historians and writers alike. Strangely enough, until the publication of Andrej Mitrović's Serbia's Great War there was not a single monograph in English presenting the history of Serbia in World War I.
Mitrovic's book offers a welcome source of valuable information elucidating Serbia's key role at the start of the conflict. Moreover, the book provides a comprehensive study of the political, social, and diplomatic, history of Serbia during the critical period of 1914-18. Unfortunately, the great human and material sacrifices endured during World War I did not preclude future confrontations foreshadowing the fateful events of World War II.
Mitrović has based his book on thorough research into primary and secondary sources, providing his own commentaries on a number of key questions. He has provided new data pertaining to the origins of the war as well as to the ensuing confrontations, including the subsequent retreat of the decimated Serbian army during the winter of 1915-16. He also highlighted the valor and resilience of the soldiers in the final liberation of the population in Serbia from occupation of their homeland.
Moreover, Mitrović provides valuable insights into the diplomatic negotiations conducted by the exiled Serbian, Croatian, and Slovenian political leaders during the war years. He also highlights the consultations with the Entente governments aspiring for a just settlement. Mitrović sheds new light on the nature of the concerted collaboration encompassing Serbia's relationship with Montenegro and with the Habsburg South Slavs. In this context, Mitrović points to the tentative solutions of the precarious situation in the Balkans favoring the creation of the Yugoslav state. He traces the influence of the Yugoslav idea and the underlying shared historical presence [End Page 85] of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, supporting the creation of a unified Yugoslav state.
Professor of Modern History at the University of Belgrade, Mitrović is the author of books and articles on the economic, social, and cultural, history of the Balkans within the European framework. In 2001, Mitrović received the prestigious Herder Prize presented by Vienna University. In 2004 Germany's Southeast Europe Association awarded him the coveted Konstantin Jiriček Medal. [End Page 86]
