Other Fronts, 1918

The Austrians attempted an offensive against the Piave line in June, but their successes were minor. At the end of the month an Italian counteroffensive regained all lost positions. The Austrians lost 100,000 men and were completely demoralized.

On October 24 the Allies attacked the Austrians on the Adriatic plain and advanced towards Vittorio Veneto, splitting the Austrian line in two. The Austrians were overwhelmed. On November 1 the Grappa front collapsed and by November 2 the British had reached the Austrian frontier.

Austria signed an armistice on November 3, leaving Germany without allies.

An Allied offensive began on the Salonica front on September 14. The troops, commanded by General Franchet d'Esperey, were mostly Greeks, but also included Serbian, French, and Italian forces. In three days the Allies advanced 20 miles (32 km) and on September 24 Prilep was taken and the whole Bulgarian defense broke down. Remnants of three Bulgarian armies fled back to their own country, and the 11th German Army (composed largely of Bulgars) retreated to Albania, where it surrendered.

Bulgaria was the first of the Central Powers to ask for an armistice. It went into effect on September 30.

In September an advance began simultaneously in Palestine and Mesopotamia. The Allied troops, mostly from India, were aided by Arabs. Turkish resistance was crushed. General Townshend, the defender of Kut-el-Amara, was released by his captors and sent to British authorities to arrange for an armistice. The armistice went into effect on October 31.