Dealing with the Salonika expedition, Lord Lansdowne gave the following
description of how the new developments in the Near East arose in September. The Central Powers found themselves in difficulties in all the various theatres of war in which they were engaged :— "That being the situation, the Central Powers naturally looked about them to discover some new direction in which to seek for a decision satisfactory to themselves, and their choice fell, as it obviously was likely to fall, upon a great attempt to make a push to the South-East, through Bulgaria, threatening our forces in Gallipoli, threatening Constantinople, and perhaps Egypt, to say nothing of vaster aspirations which perhaps lay behind. That great projoot because doubly attractive to the Central Powers from the moment that, most unfortunately, Bulgaria threw her influence on their side. To such a thrust to the South-East there was one obstacle, and one obstacle only. The key of the situation lay in the North-Eastern corner of Serbia, and accordingly we found Serbia threatened by a formidable concentration of troops on the enemy frontier. It is impossible to think or speak of Serbia without a tribute to the wondrous gallantry with which that little country withstood two separate invasions, and has lately been struggling against a third. She repelled the first two invasions by an effort which I venture to think will form one of the most glorious chapters in the history of this great war."
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