GENERAL LJUBOMIR MILIĆ, CREATOR OF THE LESKOVAC MANEUVER

Abstract

General Ljubomir Milic belonged to the generation of celebrated commanders of the Serbian Army divisions in the Balkan wars and World War I. He was born in the center of Sumadija, educated at the Serbian Military Academy after the Serbo-Turkish War (1876-1878) he participated in the Serbian-Bulgarian War of 1885as anofficer cadet. He was also educated as state sponsored cadet in Russia. His accomplishments in infantry units and NCO infantry school made him onethe most perspective Serbian infantry officers. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel and commander of the Danube Infantry Brigade in time ofMay’s uprising. Marked by the conspirator as their opponent and the former king adjutant, after a series of relocations, he was forced to leave the army. Hewas reactivated at the beginning of the Balkan wars. Commanding the infantry regiment, he stood out as an outstanding field commander. For his merits he was nominated for the divisional commandpost. He represented the Inspector of Infantry between the Balkan wars and the First World War. During the First World War, until withdrawal of the Serbian army through Albania and the arrival to Corfu, he commanded the Moravian division of the second call. Under his command, his division and a two other divisionssucceeded in stopping the overthrowing Bulgarian troops near Leskovac, thus preventing the consequent encirclement and destruction of the Serbian army’s main body.He commanded Timok Division on the Thessaloniki front. After the war, he held a post of army commander and various state functions. He left an extensive memoir about his command of Moravian division.