Evening journal., 1915-07-22
Germany's Supreme Effort
From the New York TribuneD

Measured by every possible stand
ard, viewed in the light of all the in
formation from all sides. the present
German offensive represents the sec
ond, conceivably the final, bid Of the
Kaiser's hosts for a decision, a fav-
orable decision in the war Certainly
not since that time, eleven months
ago, when the great drive TO the
Marne began. has there been any such
momentous crisis as is now at hand.
BY this time the world is wholly
familiar with the German strategy Of
August, 1914. France was TO be re
moved from the Allied battle line by
one swift. terrible final blow which
would destroy the military power of
the Third Republic and leave Germany
free 10 deal with Russia.
But France was not destroyed. The
blow was parried and in the mean
time Russian hosts poured into Aus
tria, and the disaster that seemed to
threaten France in August in no small
degree overlook Austria in Septem-
ber The grand scheme OF German
high command was thus thwarted
There was left the necessity to turn
east with the western work unfinished
and rescue Austria.
Now, over weeks and months the
German effort to save Austria was
pushed with varying success. On the
whole. until May 1, with small sue
cess. in field, and shining success back
of the line, in the reorganizing and
re-oflcering Of the Hapsburg forces
Until Austrian armies were reorgan-
ized, new German forces put in the
field, the campaign. after one desper-
ate effort eliminating at LODI, fell
to the level of local operations.
But we know now that behind these
local operations there was the old
idea. the idea Of ending war on both
fronts by the complete destruction oi
the foe on one front. France, German
high command conceded, could not be
disposed of-there was left Russia II
Russia could be disposed Of there
was still time to win the war.
Little by little then German plans
were made. Russia continued to ad
vance, but Russian ammunition grew
less and less. The ice blockade anC
the German blockade interrupted th'
| inflow Of supplies At the last mo
ment, before the spring came and
Archangol and Vladisvostok were
opened. Germany planned to strike.
Her blow was tremendous, instantly
| successful. continued from May l Il
the end Of June and eliminated u
the swift reconQuest Of Galicia, thl
repulse Of Russia to her own terri
tory, the capture Of hundreds o
thousands Of prisoners, the most bril-
liant success Of the war.
But there was one limitation 10 thi
success. Russian military power wal
shaken, as was the French in August
but u was not broken Defeated, thu
Russian army escaped envelopmen
along the San and the Dniester, and
! 10 this extent the great campaisr
failed. The failure was complete il
this sense For armies. not position
must be the objective, their destruc
tion the test of success in the present
war.
German high command had. how
ever, envisaged this failure. II haC
hoped TO envelou the Russian armies
in Galicia between the army Of Mack
ensen coming east from Cracow ant
/ the Austrian troops coming north owe
the Carpathians and west from Blu
kovina Now it fell back upon a IA
more grandiose scheme, involving ar
] enormous extent cf territory and re
quiring troops in numbers unknown
in other wars
Look at the map Of Russian Folan,
and il will be seen that IL is pushed
into Austro-Germsn territory like