The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-08-22
Present Invasion, the
First in 1903 Years,
Has Many Features
Similar to Corsican's
Debacle
ny HERBERT tAxTON.

49,
they were when his huge armies went
to the Far East in this century to bat
tie with the Japanese on alien terri
tory. Now the Germans through Po-
land are aiming a blow at the heart OF
Russia. Moscow, although far distant
from the present seat OF operations, is
their objective, as IL was in 1912 that
Of Napoleon.
Will they be able where he failed to
gain their goal?
Or. gaining 1t, will they find their
victory a barren me-, with ultimate
defeat and a ruinous retreat the Sc
Quel? Or digging themselves in after
each success, will they by means of
their splendid organization be able to
keep up their supplies from the real
and by repeated victorious advances
approach until not only Moscow but
Petrograd are theirs and the Cars
army Is brought to its knees?
Is the Russian retreat the sign of a
failure of its army or is II tie pre-
cursor OF a coup such as that by which
Alexander's Generals drew Napoleon
into a trap and then overwhelmed him
with disaster?
The Germans have great advantages
e Napoleon. Nearly thirty railways
carry troops and supplies to them.
The country through which they ad-
vance is the same through which he
went. but agriculture has greatly i'm
proved 1t and manufactures have
raised the miserable towns to rich and
powerful cities.
The Russians are in many respects
still a primitive people. Their life in
peace or in war still shows traces of
their nomadic origin. Adopting
modern arms, they yet fight much as
did their ancestors. Their strategy
may be at fault. but no one doubts the
bravery Of their overwhelming forces.
When they retreated before Ma
poleon in 1912 they left nothing in the
territory they evacuated for his troops
70 live upon: crops were DESTROYED.
supplies carried off. own laid on the
ground. and even when he reached
MOSCOW 1t was only to see that ancient
city in flames.
Reports to-day show that sometime
d the same tactics Is in fashion.
While they did lot destroy Warsaw.
kovn n other cities which they
abandoned to the advancing foe. they
left no wealth to seize, no advantage
which would accrue to the Germans
when they came up.
What is there up the capacious
Russian sleeve? The nation. the
court. the diplomats and the General
Stan rely IN Grand Duke Nicholas
FOR the ultimate victory of the Rus
dan arms. He has displayed mag
ntfcent generalship with forces huge
but unframed and to an extent un-
disciplined as compared with the
enemy. The vast of the
country and the people appear ami
mated with a patriotic unanimity 70
win. There has been a year in which
to prepare even for defeat on Russian
soil. Observers Of events cannot be.
heve that back of the Vistula Russia
IN NOT nrannrnd fnr H.
The next few months will tell whether
or not this belief is we'll founded.
Followers of the news of the day
need no recapitulation of the part Rus
STA has played in the wal of the last
twelve months; Of the advance into
East Prussia, into Galicia, and of the
gradual beating back Of its forces and
the loss Of the gains they had made,
until now the aggressive foe is push
ing back the former invaders into
their W territory. The war and the
territory in which il is waged sug-
gest am analogy with the Napoleonic
campaign OF 1872, the first serious
blunder OF the French Emperor, and
The n which knit his enemies into a
common determination to put an end
TO his military aggression. 1t may
be we'll therefore to examine briefly
the Russian campaign Of Napoleon
in its chief features for the DOS
OF comparison.
Napoleon's demands on Russia OF
an embargo on England having been
refused by the Gar, the latter en-
tered into an agreement with Great
Britain and determined to pose the
dictatorship Of the French Emperor.
The Polish question. the annexation
OF Oldenburg, and the Illustration OF
Russian designs on Turkey, together
with the alliance Of Austria, Prussia
and the other German States on Ma
poleon's side, showed Alexander that
It was up to Russia to fight II French
domination was not to be coexistent
with the boundaries of all Europe.
In May all negotiations for peace
Ghsed. n Napoleon, who had male
Ills plans of campaign, went to Ores
den. His forces numbered 500, 900. He
had 1900 cannon. $4,000 horses, and
siege trains had gone on to Riga,
Duneburg, M~agdeburg and Danzig.
The allies had their work cut out. Not
only were they to supply men and
munitions but were to aid in supply
ing food and in transporting 1t. Oxen
drew wagons OF flour and rice. Dan