The Caldwell watchman. (Columbia, La.) 1885-1946, 1915-08-13
CAMPAIGNS IN THE EAST

The first twelvemonth of fighting
between the Russians on one side ana
the Austrians and Germans on
the other is a story Of great changes
of fortune, both combatants being re-
peatedly driven back only to show
the greatest resiliency in defeat and
soon to resume the offensive in most
surprising manner.
Russias losses in the first year OF
the war are not approached by those
of any nation in any war of history
Slow to Mobilize.
On August |, 1914, Germany de-
clared war on Russia. Almost imme-
diately the Germans crossed the from
tier at Thorn and the Austrians south
of Lublin. They were practically un-
opposed because of the slowness OF
mobilization in Russia. The Grand
Duke Nicholas Nicholaievitch was
forced to gather his main armies well
to the rear Of the line of great fort
resses running through kovno. Grod.
no. Ossowetz, Novo Georgievsk, War
saw and Ivangorod.
On account of his desire to do all
he could to relieve the French, who
were being driven from northern
France by the amazing German rush
through Belgium, Nicholas attacked
sooner than he otherwise would have
I done. AS result, he met two disas-
tiers.
He sent General Samsonoff into
East Prussia from the south and
| General Rennenkampf into East Prus-
STA from the east, the latter winning
the first large engagement OF the war
in the East at Gumbinen.
At this moment the Germans, be-
lieying that the French were well in
hand and about to be surrounded on
their eastern frontier, quickly with
drew 100000 men from France and
hurled them by rail into East Prus
STA, where they fell upon Samsonotf
with crushing force in the great Ger
man victory of Tannenberg aug. 2S)
Meanwhile, the Austrians, leaving
only few troops in Galicia to hold
back the Russians advancing from
Tarnopol on the line of the Gnila-Lipa
struck the Russians en- masse at kras
mix and routed them to Lublin.
Most Bloody Drive Of War;
With two armies in difficulty, the
grand duke decided to abandon one
to it's fate and save the other He
threw re-enforcements into Lublir
and ordered the line Of the Gnlla
Lima river be forced at any cost. lr
one of the most bloody drives of the
war the Russians advanced into east
ern Galicia and occupied Lemberg
The Russians then advanced II
Rawa Ruska and took the Austrian
armies in Poland in the rear, cutting
them up frightfully.
Meanwhile Won Hindenburg hat
completed his victory over Samsonof
. bv turning on Rennenkampf and clear
ing East Prussia Of Muscovites. Blu
though Rennenkampf had been de
feated and Samsonoff almost ami
hilated, the Germans.
The Russians were now as far ives
az Tarnow in Galicia. while thei
, Cossacks were able to make raids int
Hungary farther south. Hindenbur
concentrated a great force suddenl
in Silesia and began drive from tn
west against Warsaw and lvar
, gorod. The Siberian corps arrive
). in the nick of time to save Warsa'
I from the enemy.
! Hindenburg then drew off the nortl
!. ern section Of his army in Poland
the north thinking to take the purs'
;. ing Russians in flank with the soutl
p ern section. But the Austrians wer
too slow to carry out the field ma
q shars plans and the Russians, sill
q ping into a gap in the lines betwee
y the Germans and their allies, slaug
! tered the latter. The result was tt