The Balkans War of 1912 was for the region a time of rising nationalistic tension and power as the land once ruled by the Ottoman Empire for hundreds of years went to war. In this time the dreams of a new golden age for the Turks, the Greeks, the Bulgars, Serbs, and other peoples were fought to be made manifest.
In November of 1912 Bulgarian forces under Radko Dimitriev sought to complete a series of glorious victories against the Ottomans. The Ottoman armies of the Balkans defeated they sought after their great prize: The City of Istanbul. The only thing standing in their way was the fortress at Catalca just 35 km away from the city of Istanbul and Bulgarian dreams. The place was the last chance for the Ottomans to turn back the Ottomans and force the chance of a armistice on the Bulgarians to give space for a Ottoman counter attack.
At first it seemed that a fog over the area would provide 'cover' for the Bulgarians to take the high ridges of Catalca from the Ottomans, but the fog was short lived and General Dimitriev called off a daylight attack for duelling artillery with the Ottoman's. If the Bulgarians had attacked they would have been slaughtered by the Ottoman guns, their commander Mahmut Muhtar Pasa had learned well from Ottoman defeats and improved Ottoman defensive tactics. Alas the Bulgarians dug in for a siege and instead opted for a night attack and with their superior numbers broke through Ottoman lines at Illeri and swept into their defensive positions. Mahmut Pasa killed in the attack crushes the Ottoman's already low spirits. Taking Catalca from the Ottomans, Dimitriev and the 2nd and 2rd Bulgarian armies secure the local railroad lines and head on Istanbul.
In November of 1912 Bulgarian forces under Radko Dimitriev sought to complete a series of glorious victories against the Ottomans. The Ottoman armies of the Balkans defeated they sought after their great prize: The City of Istanbul. The only thing standing in their way was the fortress at Catalca just 35 km away from the city of Istanbul and Bulgarian dreams. The place was the last chance for the Ottomans to turn back the Ottomans and force the chance of a armistice on the Bulgarians to give space for a Ottoman counter attack.
At first it seemed that a fog over the area would provide 'cover' for the Bulgarians to take the high ridges of Catalca from the Ottomans, but the fog was short lived and General Dimitriev called off a daylight attack for duelling artillery with the Ottoman's. If the Bulgarians had attacked they would have been slaughtered by the Ottoman guns, their commander Mahmut Muhtar Pasa had learned well from Ottoman defeats and improved Ottoman defensive tactics. Alas the Bulgarians dug in for a siege and instead opted for a night attack and with their superior numbers broke through Ottoman lines at Illeri and swept into their defensive positions. Mahmut Pasa killed in the attack crushes the Ottoman's already low spirits. Taking Catalca from the Ottomans, Dimitriev and the 2nd and 2rd Bulgarian armies secure the local railroad lines and head on Istanbul.
