The Washington herald., 1915-10-10
In CLOSE
Bodies of
MASSED
Troops

Poland into White Russia demon
terrific sweep through Belgium into
northern France at the beginning of the
war. the superiority Of the Germans over
their opponents at field maneuyers
The Teutonic powers have held. since the
war began. that in open warfare they
would annihilate their foes Trench
warfare, being a new factor altogether,
has been developed since the red days
Of August year ago.
But at open maneuvers the Germans
can still claim superiority. The Galician.
Poland and Russian campaigns showed
that not in vain had the colossal annual
maneuvers been held in Germany ever
since Wilhelm II. ascended the throne
Those maneuvers, participated in by
hundreds OF thousands of troops, used to
be the joke of Europe. many Germans as
we'll as outsiders considering them but
vast parades Of uniformed men. But the
Germans once more have shown that
they were right in military sense
The story Of the sweep of endless
columns Of gray-clad men through Bel
gium into the fertile plains and valleys
Of France has been told often in the past
year. That should have given the allied
powers warning Of the resistless drive
OF German troops in the open But
Russia, as we'll as France and England,
relied on trenches to stop the kaiser's
men. So when a red tempest of artillery
fire crumbled up the trenches in Galicia.
the Russians were absolutely unprepared
for the onward sweep of the Teuton
hosts. sweep that led across the de-
vastated trenches. through Galicia,
through Poland and into the virgin soil
Of White Russia itself.
French and Belgian "impregnable"
forts were battered to pieces by heavy
artillery, then stormed by massed troops.
The world marveled at the recklessness
OF the German commanders in sending
forward their men in close formation.
but fortress after fortress fell So it was
in Poland and Russia. First Russia's
first line Of defenses. then her second
line went down before the Teuton hosts.
The Germans also employ close for
nation tactics in open, or field warfare
An army" is a variable affair It may
consist OF few regiments few
divisions or a few corps. But armies
such as commanded by Won Buelow,
Mackensen. Hindenburg the Bavarian
Crown Prince Leopold and the Austrian
grand duke in the last Russian cam
paign consist of no less than ten army
corps Of infantry-3O0 900 men-besides
large bodies of cavalry and immense
numbers Of big guns. field guns and
mortars.
This modern army Of approximately
400, 900 to 100000 men is advanced in
the phalanx formation. the oldest known
formation in military history But
whereas Philip and Alexander of Mace
donia used companies as the bases Of
the phalanx and Napoleon used regi-
ments. the Germans and Austrians use
army corps.
The advance guard Of a modern Ger
man army consists Of several regiments
OF cavalry and two corps of infantry,
supported by many battalions of field ar
tllery. Next come six corps Of infantry.
followed by the heaviest artillery, siege
pieces and long range guns. Last is the
reserve. two corps Of infantry. regiments
Of cavalry and more field artillery
battalions. The phalanx proper. Of
course, is properly flanked, with infan-
try. artillery and cavalry. This immense
mass of nearly half a million men is
moved with the systematic precision at
tanned only by the Germans in all their
nroiects