Battle of Yenidje

Lithographic drawing of the Battle of Giannitsa.

The Battle of Yenidje or Yenice or Battle of Giannitsa, was a battle between the Greek Army and the Ottoman Army on October 19–20/1912, during the First Balkan War. The Greek Army defeated the Ottomans, opening the way towards Thessaloniki and capturing Yenidje (now Giannitsa).

The battle

The Turkish army in the Greek front gathered at Giannitsa and fortified it. The strategic location of Gianitsa was low hills, which acted as barriers for excellent defense, while the nearby lake made forced the opponents into a relatively narrow space, further enhanced with artillery units. 25,000 Turkish troops and 30 guns waited for the Greeks. The battle began on October 19 and lasted two days. The Greek military forces had to pass a bridge to the stream of Balitzas. In torrential rain, the Greek regiments had many losses and difficulties in development. By evening the Greek army completed the development of artillery and took corrective action over from Giannitsa. The raid of the Greek army was impetuous and in the morning of the 20th, the victory was a fact. The losses were heavy. The losses of the Turks were three times more. In the city there was a fire. But the road to the liberation of Thessaloniki was now open. The battle of 20 October 1912 was the most deadly battle of the Balkan wars and perhaps the most important. It marked the liberation of the city from the Turks and the inclusion of the Greek state. At the same time it paved the way for the liberation of Thessaloniki that helped shape the modern map of Greece.

Sources

• An Index of events in the military history of the Greek nation., Hellenic Army General Staff, Army History Directorate, Athens, 1998. ISBN 960-7897-27-7
• Richard C. Hall, The Balkan Wars 1912-1913. Prelude to the First World War., Routledge, New York 2000. ISBN 0-415-22946-4