The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-12-25
GRESS ALONG THE BzURA
RIVER, SOUTH OF
RAWA.
RUSSIANS RETIRE AND
DESTROY ALL BRIDGES
Field Marshal Won H~indenburu Ex-
poets Stern Resistance, Which
the Strongly Reinforced Russian
Army lis Certain to Offer
Allies Operations Resisted.


London, Dec. %. - Field Marshal
o ~Hindenburg's army, which is adj
vancing on Warsaw over a wide front,
between the Vistula and the Pilica
rivers, and which occupied Lowicz
a few days ago, has reached the new
Russian positions along the Bzura
river and southwark to Rawa. with
the result that another big battle is
in progress.
The Russians retired across the
Bzura river, destroying the bridges
behind them and two German de-
tachments which followed over a part
ly burned bridge were attacked and
are said to have been annihilated, 80
survivors being taken prisoners.
Battle for Warsaw Begins.
This is only the beginning OF the
great battle for Warsaw, from which
the Germans are now only thirty miles
or less. Field Marshal Won linden
burg, however, expects stern resist
ance, which the strongly REINFORCED
Russian army is certain to offer his
further advance, protected as it is by
the Vistula river, which the Germans
have been unable to cross
The Russians are continuing their
operations against East Prussia, as
though the capital Of Poland were mo-
threatened, and by counter-attacks are
attempting to throw off the Austro-
German attacks in Galicia. An Aus
trian sOrtie in force from Przemysl,
according to the Russian official state
ment, has entirely failed. and there,
as well as at other points, prisoners
and guns were taken.
Germans Resist Allies Advance.
The offensive operations of the al
lies in the west are being carried out
under conditions of siege warfare and
are being stubbornly opposed by the
and surrounded by wire ENGAGEMENTS,
make an advance of wen a few yards
a costly matter for the attacking
forces.
In Flanders a little ground has been
gained at considerable cost. despite
the fact that along the coast the
allies have the assistance OF warships
which continually lombard the Ger
man positions. The advance has been
more marked from the Belgian border
south of the River Disc, where the
ground is not as vet as in the flood
ed regions Of Flanders.
Along the Aisne and in the Cham
payne district, the French artillery.
which is now probably stronger than
the German, has been busy keeping
the Germans on the move, but in the
Argonne region !. "a the Germans who
are on the offensive, and they claim
to have made a slight advance.
Germans Have More Guns.
The general opinion of military
men here is that some time must
elapse before the allies can expect to
make any very marked progress. Be.
sides being in fortified positions,
which could only be taken after being
thoroughly searched out by the artil-
lery. the Germans still have more ma.
chine guns than the allies, and, as has
been proved in previous battles, these,
90 long as they can be successfully
operated, make infantry attacks too
costly to be attempted~enr
The Servian and Montenegrin arm.
les have again joined hands after the
defeat OF the Austrians who invaded
Servia, and r nov making their sec.
ond advance toward Sarajevo, capital
OF Bosnia. The two armies, the sup.
plies OF which have been replenished
by captures from the Austrians, have
formed a junction lear Vishegard,
which the Montenegrins have occu-
pied. They expect to be before Sara.
jevo before three or four days.