October 28, 1912 · Thrace Theater
October 28, 1912
The Battle of Lüleburgaz, fought October 28 – November 2, 1912, was the largest engagement of the Balkan Wars. The Bulgarian First and Third Armies, totaling roughly 120,000 men, clashed with a reconstituted Ottoman Eastern Army of similar strength along a front stretching nearly 40 kilometers. Over five days of brutal fighting, Bulgarian artillery — including modern Krupp guns — shattered Ottoman defensive positions. The Ottomans launched repeated counterattacks that were repulsed with enormous casualties. When the Bulgarian right wing threatened to envelop the Ottoman left, the entire Eastern Army collapsed and fled toward Constantinople in a disorganized rout.
Commanders