<– Part 110 – August 27, 1916  | Part 111 – September 3, 1916 |  Part 112 – September 10, 1916 –>

Italy finally declared war on Germany August 28, following months each fighting the other’s allies. Near Florina, the Chegan offensive ended with the Bulgarian advance halted and their positions shelled. The Serbian counter-attacks, likewise, were repulsed. The offensive saw nearly 10,000 total casualties.

In Germany, Erich von Falkenhayn was removed as German chief of staff, and Paul von Hindenburg replaced him August 29. Two days later, Germany suspended her unprovoked U-boat attacks on merchant ships.

The Central Powers launched an invasion of Romania from Bulgaria on September 2, attacking the fortress of Turtucaia. The outer lines of defense have been quickly taken, and the Romanians seem unprepared and their defense poorly-organized and executed. To the North, in Transylvania, the Romanian Second Army continues its advance.

At the Somme, following the failure of full-frontal assaults to reach objectives, as well as weeks of costly casualty reports, the Allies have opted for smaller-scale attacks. An attack has been launched towards Guillemont by the Allied forces on September 3. With a severe breakdown in communications over the last month, caused by fog, smoke, and other issues, an elaborate system has been set up for this offensive, including telegraph, carrier pigeon, Roman candles, and more. Additionally, decision-making has been moved closer to the front, both in positioning and in permission for front-line commanders to make decisions as necessary.

At Verdun, an assault at Fleury by the French retook several hundred meters of land lost earlier in the battle. At Delville Woods, nearby on the front line, attacks and counter-attacks by each side have been costly, but the victory seems to be swinging to the British.