ans ▁on ▁their ▁part ▁asked ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁to ▁join ▁an ▁off ensive ▁against ▁Sal on ika ▁with ▁six ▁divisions ▁but ▁the ▁German ▁High ▁Command ▁refused ▁and ▁forced ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁a ▁purely ▁def ensive ▁st ance ▁of ▁the ▁Central ▁Pow ers ▁forces ▁on ▁the ▁B alk an ▁Front . ▁ ▁Pre par ations ▁ ▁Al lied ▁plan ▁ ▁The ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁Al lied ▁arm ies ▁on ▁the ▁Sal on ika ▁Front ▁General ▁Sar ra il ▁comm enced ▁prepar ations ▁for ▁the ▁off ensive ▁as ▁soon ▁as ▁he ▁received ▁his ▁orders . ▁By ▁early ▁spring ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁he ▁produced ▁a ▁general ▁plan ▁that ▁en vis aged ▁a ▁main ▁attack ▁delivered ▁in ▁the ▁Ser bian ▁sector ▁by ▁the ▁Ser bian ▁ 2 nd ▁Army ▁and ▁at ▁least ▁two ▁other ▁secondary ▁attacks ▁– ▁the ▁first ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁to ▁the ▁east ▁of ▁the ▁V ard ar ▁and ▁the ▁second ▁by ▁the ▁It ali ans ▁and ▁French ▁in ▁the ▁Cr na ▁B end . ▁French ▁and ▁Greek ▁forces ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁of ▁the ▁V ard ar ▁were ▁also ▁to ▁undert ake ▁ag gress ive ▁action . ▁The ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁French ▁Army ▁of ▁the ▁East ▁General ▁Paul ▁Gros set ti ▁informed ▁his ▁superior ▁that ▁his ▁forces ▁would ▁need ▁at ▁least ▁ 4 0 ▁days ▁to ▁prepare ▁for ▁the ▁operations ▁which ▁forced ▁General ▁Sar ra il ▁to ▁set ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁off ensive ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 2 ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁The ▁bad ▁weather ▁conditions ▁however