Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1915-08-05
FIRST YEAR OF THE
WAR IN THE EAST

The first twelvemouth OF fighting
between the Russians on one side and
the Austrians and Germans on
the other is 4 story OF great changes
OF fortune, both combatants being re-
peatedly driven back only TO show
the greatest resilency In defeat and
soon to resume The offensive in q most
surprising manner
The end OF the year however. finds
the pendulum swinging strongly
against the cZar He may recover
and take again the roads to Cracow,
Vienna and Berlin. but just at pres
ent he Is on the whole In worse plight
than in any hour since the war
started
Russia's losses IN the first year OF
the War are not approached by those
OF any nation in any war Of history,
According to reliable estimates, she
has had between $500 900 and 5000
600 men killed injured and captured.
Despite these horrible gaps made in
her ranks, she stlll has millions in
the field, and her great reservoir Of
personnel docs not show signs Of ex-
hauston. II IS not men she lacks but
guns, shells and brains
Slow to Mobilize.
ON August 1914, Germany do
clarei war on Russia Almost Imme-
diate.y the Germans crossed the from
tier at Thorn and the AustrIans south
Of LubItn They were practically un.
opposed because Of the slowress OF
mobilization in Russia The Grand
Duke Nicholas Nichoiaieyitch was
forced 10 gather his main armies well
to the rear Of the line Of great fort
ressos running through KOvno, G0od-
no. Ossowetz. Novo G-orgleysk. War
saw and lvangorod
On account Of bis desire TO do all
he could 70 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
done AS a result, be met two dlsas-
ters
He sent General Samsonor into
East Prussia from the south and
General Rennenkampt into East Prus-
sia from the east, the latter winning
the first large engagement OF the war
in the East at GumbLnen.
At this moment the Germans, be
lieving that the French were well in
hand and about to be surrounded on
their eastern frontier, quickly with
drew $50 coo men from France and
hurled them by rail into East Prus-
STA, where they fell upon SsmsonoT
with crushing force In the great Ger
man victory OF Tanuenberg Aug 2Sl.
Meanwhile, the Austrians. leaving
only few troops in Gslicia to hold
back the Russians advancing from
TSrnopol on the line OF the Guiis-Lips,
struck the Russians en- mssse at kras.
mix and routed them TO Lublin.
Most Bloody Drive OF War.
With two armies in difficulty, the
grand duke decided 10 abandon one
10 lNs late anu SAW NuS NtuNi. nc
threw endorsements into Lublin
and ordered the line OF the Gnila
Lipa river be forced at any cost Ia
one OF the most bloody drives OF the
war the Russians advanced into east
ern Galicia and occupied Lemberg,
The Russians then advanced TO
Rava Rusks and took the Austrian
armies in Poland IN the rear, cutting
them M frightfully
Meanwhile Won Hlndenbure had
completed his victory over Ssmsonof
nv turning on Rennenksmpt and clear
ing Fast Prussia Of Muscovites But
though Reunenkampf had been de-
fested and Ssmsonod almost amir
hilsted. the Germans
The Russians were now as far west
as Tarnow in Galicia. while their
Cossacks were able TO make raids into
Hungary farther south Hlndenburs
concentrated a great force suddenly
in Snesis and began a drive from the
west against Warsaw and Ivan
gcrcd. The siberian CORPS arrived
in the nick Of time to save Warsaw
from the enemy.
Hleh Tice ~ Rvsslsr Invasion.
Hindensers then drew OF the north.
srn section Of HE army In Poland TO
re nnrth thanksna q tAke Tie rvynp-