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A School History of the Great War by Armand Jacques Gerson;Albert E. (Albert Edward) McKinley;Charles Augustin Coulomb
page 68 of 183 (37%)
for defense against the Russian invaders of Galicia. Serbia after severe
fighting compelled the Austrians to retreat beyond their own boundaries.
Early in September the Serbians took the offensive and began an invasion
of Austria-Hungary. This venture failed, and before long Serbia was once
more resisting the enemy on her own soil. Belgrade fell into Austrian
hands on December 2. It did not long remain in the possession of the
conquerors. On the 14th, it was regained by the Serbians, and the
Austrian armies once more expelled. The little Balkan kingdom seemed to
be holding her own.

TURKEY ENTERS THE WAR.--In the years before the war, Germany had
carefully cultivated the friendship of the Turkish government. By means
of intrigue, she had practically made herself master of that country,
particularly in military matters. The Turkish army had been trained by
Germans, and many of its officers were Germans. Although at the opening
of the war Turkey declared herself neutral, she soon showed herself an
ally of the Central Powers. There is evidence to show that as early as
August 4 she had entered into a secret treaty with Germany. In October
Turkey startled the world by bombarding a Russian port on the Black Sea
and destroying French and Russian vessels at Odessa. These acts were
regarded by Russia as acts of war. A few days later France and Great
Britain declared war on Turkey.

[Illustration: GERMAN COLONIES and locations of early naval
engagements.]

Germany welcomed the entrance of Turkey into the war for two reasons. In
the first place she expected that the Mohammedans under English and
French rule, that is, those living in Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, and
India, would join the Turkish Sultan, the religious head of the
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