The Serbian Counter Offensive 3–15 December 1914

Forced out of Belgrade by the Austro-Hungarians on 2 December 1914, the Serbian army retreated to their front line. From there, having received fresh supplies of badly needed artillery ammunition, the Serbians launched a counteroffensive on December 3. The Serbians seized the opportunity to counterattack the isolated 6th Army. The 5th Army wheeled to support the beleaguered 6th, but was too late to prevent it being overwhelmed. By now better prepared, four Serbian armies retook Valjevo and Užice on 8 December, forcing the Austro-Hungarians to retreat towards Belgrade. The 5th Army commander, Liborious Ritter von Frank, made a decision to evacuate Belgrade on 15 December and return to Austro-Hungary. The Serbians, exhausted by mud and combat, did not turn the battle into a rout, but were afforded a long period of freedom from further Austrian advances.