The Washington times., 1915-02-28
TWO SUDDEN BLOWS
SPLIT CARS ARMY
DEFENDING WARSAW
Russian Forces Withdrawn
From Before Polish Capital
to Protect Line to Petrograd

! BERLIN (via Amsterdam). Feb. IS
General Won Hindenburg has again out
witted the Cars advisers. Less than
a week after his great victories east Of
the Mazurian lakes. the German war
,, idol has executed two sudden strokes
! that may sweep the Russians out of
! Poland.
The new strategic moves are revealed
! in dispatches relayed here from east
Prussia last night. The grand dukes
! army protecting Warsaw from the
north has been split in two. The Polish
capital may be in the Kaisers hands
before early spring.
Threatened Petrograd Line.
Won Hindenburs struck first long
line leading south from point east OF
Augustovo to the Russian fortress of
Ossowetz. A German army that fought
its way through Lyck under the eye OF
the Kaiser moved in Il southeasterly
direction until its left wing was In
contact with the right wing of the army
that inflicted disastrous losses on the
fleeing Russians in the swamps east of
AugustOwo.
The two armies pressed forward,
threatening the important railway
leading from Warsaw to Petrograd,
over which the Russ ian armies in Po-
land maintained their communication
with the CzaI's capital. The grand
duke saw his great peril First from
Grodno. to the north. and then from
the region north of Warsaw he push
ed large bodies of Russians to check
the German advance.
Violent Battle in Progress.
With the forces defending Warsaw
thus depleted. Won Hindenburg threw
the extreme right wing of his MAJ
urian Lake conquerors against the
Russians at Przasnysz. sixty miles
north of Warsaw. The fortified posi-
tions at Przasnysz were stormed and
fighting of violent nature is now in
progress near Vielodroz, to the south.
1T is officially admitted Ahat heavy
Russian re-enlorcements have tempor-
arily halted the German advance
south of PrZasnysZ and in the Osso-
wetz region. War Office officials point
out. however, that this Is just what Won
liindenburg anticipated.
The grand dukes armies defending
Warsaw on the right bank of the Nis-
tula have been drawn upon so heavily
that serious resistance 20 the Ger
mans moving eastward through Plock
and Plonsk cannot be maintained at
this time. Already the RUSSIAN forti-
fled position at Nysogrod, on the right
bank of the Nistula. and less than for
ty miles from Warsaw, has been she'll
ed by German long range artillery.
Menanced by Three Drives.
The Russians are now menaced by
three separate drives that threaten
to force the evacuation Of Poland.
Berlin papers today expressed the
view that not only has the Russian
threat against East Prussia disap-
peared for all time. but that Won Hin
denburG will soon hold all Poland.
The war department again charac-
terizes the fighting in France in the
past week as of little Importance. The
French have battered vainly at the
German intrenchments in the Cha m
paSne region all week. it is declared,
without making perceptible gains.
Oiam Gains in France.
North OF Verdun." says the war Of
fee statement issued today, the Ger
mans stormcd several of the encmy's
positions. Weak French countcr-at-
tacks failed an dthe Germans took prs-
oners 80 men and captured four ma
chine guns.
ON the western side of the Vosges the
Germans. after violent lighting, dis
lodged the French from entrcnchcd posi-
t!Ons.
In the Champagne region the enemy
continued their attacks unsucccsSfully.
I'm the east our troops attacking
OsSOwietZ were forced to retreat, facin;;
superior numbers. The Germans ad-
vance in the Prasznysz region continues.
Northwest Of GrondnO new Russian
forces attempted to advance. but were
thrown back with the loss Of 1,SU0
prisoners"