November 17, 1912 · Thrace Theater
November 17, 1912
After the catastrophe at Lüleburgaz, the Ottomans constructed a desperate last line of defense at Çatalca, roughly 40 kilometers from Constantinople. The Çatalca Lines exploited a narrow peninsula between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, creating a natural chokepoint that Bulgarian forces could not easily flank. When Bulgarian armies assaulted the Lines on November 17–18, they were repulsed with heavy casualties. Bulgarian troops were exhausted from weeks of rapid advance, supply lines were stretched to the breaking point, and cholera had begun ravaging the army. A massive Ottoman artillery concentration on elevated ground inflicted devastating losses on attacking Bulgarian infantry. The assault was called off after two days.
Commanders