The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1915-08-26
Review Of the First Year of War
From the Standpoint of
Austria-t hungary

NAV coHsluerdUie part OF tnelI
forces from the north. This deter
mined, though short-lived, offensive
frustrated the sweep which the Rus
slams has inaugurated toward Berlin
But the Austrio- Hungarian advance
into central Poland was greately i'm
peded by the many forests and by the
absence of roads and railways. The
proportion of the Russian forces at
that time concentrated against the
Austro Hungarian was approximately
three or four to one. Eastern Balicia,
where the numerical superiority Of the
enemy We zen greater, had TO be
abandoned. This vast advantage in
numbers on the part Of the Russians
- tn he fxriaael ,"'ely by the trial
mobilization" which practically had
brought the Russian army up to its
full fighting strength long before war
had been declared. The Austro- Hun
garian retirement before the over
whelming Russian armies was misin-
terpreted by the triple entente as a
collapse of the military power of the
dual monarchy. More recent events
have served to correct this erroneous
impression.
Why Germany Advance Failed.
| The German advance in the west,
with Paris as its objective, failed of
the desired swift realization because Of
the resistance offered by Belgium and
the Intervention of England. The fail
ure to reach the French capital at the
first drive caused keen disappointment
in Germany. From the German point
of view the western campaign was not
brought to successful end; but it is
most unreasonable to talk Of q defeat
of the Germans or of victory for the
triple entente on the Marine, in the
sense that the operations in that re-
gion have accomplished results which
can be regarded as in any way decis-
i've. The Germans fell back on the
line of the Aisne, where they had pre-
pared formidable intrenchments. Not
withstanding the frequent assaults car
ried on with great-violence by the
Anglo Franco Belgian armies, the
Germans have never budged from the
positions which they had SO wisely
chosen. The result of the military
operations in western Europe can be
defined as Germany victory which
has yet to completed. A brief
glance at the actual situation in the
west will furnish ample proof of this
estimate Of values.
| In the eastern theater of operations
1.-THE dual allies have practically cleaned
ont the Russian armies. The temper
larry occupation of Galicia by the Rus
slams failed to prevent the successful
pursuance of the plans to reduce the
Russian armies by process of at
triton. The outcome of this military
policy is to be seen, not only in the
carture of more than million and a
half Russian prisoners "a number
hitherto unheard of in war-but also
in the seizure Of tremendous booty in
Russian cannon, machine guns, rifles
ammunition and war materials of every
description. Hindenburg' two great
initial victories in the Mazaurian re-
gion constitute splendid illustration
OF the triumph of strategy over mere
numbers. However numerous the Rus
sian soldiers may be, the Russian mill
tary organism is sure to feel the devil
talizing effects of such a series of
bleedings. The Russian offensive has
been converted into a retreat which has
been continuous since the dual allies
began their drive to the east, inaugu-
rated at Gorlice on May 4. The un-
broken line of the Teutonic advances,
from the Baltic sea, with Libau and
Riga, down to the eastern frontier of
Bukowina, shows the constant retreat
Of the Russians before the onslaught
OF the Austro- German forces. The fall
OF Warsaw, stands out as the salient
event in the taking, actual or impend-
ing, of the entire line of powerful fort
resses which have cost the Russian
taxpayers unlimited sums Of money.
Greece and other Balkan states which
might have been induced to align
themselves with the triple entente are
now more than ever inclined to main
tain their alliance in the Balkans has
improved decidedly since the first
stage Of the war. Bulgaria has reached
an understanding with Turkey, and
Romania is freely selling her grain,
and her mineral oil to the central
powers.
1t has now become conclusively evil
dent that the attempt of the allies to
starve the civilian population of Ger
many, Austria Hungary and Turkey
has ended in complete failure. 1t may
be conceded that the arbitrary inter