The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-11-16
FLUx AND REFLUx
OF GERMAN ARMY
English Writer Shows How
Forces Were Swung to
and Fro.
WEST TOTAL NEAR MAXIMUM
On Sept. I the Fighting Troops There,
He Figures, Reached 1859 BataI-
Ions-Roumanias Entry
Causes Swift Change.


With the French Armles.-The flux
and ref!ux OF the German forces on the
western and eastern fronts, together
with their rapid augmentation on
either side whenever occasion called
for an increase Of electives, have been
now clearly set forth. The figures
given refer 70 the various phases of
the war, starting with the invasion of
Belgium in August. 1914, going right
through the allied offenslves Of 1915
and 1910, the German operations be-
fore Yerdun, the movements on the
Russian and Roumanlan frontiers, and
concluding with the position as II was
on September ] this year.
IL will be seen that In 1914 the Ger
mans threw onto the western front,
including the army TINT forced its way
through Belgium, 1,190 battallons Of
infantry; while on the Russian 'front.'
from which they did not await much
activity, they left only 322 battalions.
BY September / this year these totals
had been enormously raised, for on
TINT date they had on the Franco-Bel-
gian-Brltish front no fewer than 1869
battallons, while on the eastern front
they had In position 965 battalions.
Thus at the present moment they are
employing 1884 battalions on both
fronts, whereas at the opening of hos
tllities only 1872 We're engaged.
From One Side to Other.
A glance at the totals of the battnl- |
ions In line on the two fronts at differ
ent periods Of the war is interesting |
as showing how the principal effort of
the Germans has swung from time to
time from one side to the other.
The attack on Belgium and France |
absorbed the attention of the German
staff when war broke out In August |
1914, and the Russian front was left to
very great extent to take care of
itself. At that time the infantry effec-
tives were disposed as follows:
Divisions of
Rgts each, Baths,
On the western front.,..... 96h 1880
on the eastern front....,.. 26h 322
The battle of the User In November,
1914, caused the Germans 10 intensity
their effort In the West. They brought
up their electives to higher total
there, but ut the same time they were
becoming rather anxious about the Rus
sian front, and therefore added to the
number OF their troops on that side,
making the position as follows:
Divisions of
4Regts. Baths,
on the western front........1OtIk 1,2gS
On the eastern front......,. 32h 1893
Then came the Russian offensive,
which compelled Germany to look
round In order to find more troops to
meet 1t. She therefore reduced her
electives somewhat on the western
front and sent them eastward. at the
same time bringing some more battal
ions from the interior to add to those
on the Russian frontier. In September,
| 1915, by which time the maximum of
| the German effort had been rq ched on
that side, the position stood:
Divisions OF
or Rgts Baths,
| On the western front,..,,,,.103 l,120
| on the eastern front...,..., 81 $50
Verdun was the next great move
ment the Germans had In view. and In
order to win victory there they had
changed the disposition of their infan-
try electives by bringing many divi-
sions westward, so that the position in
June, 1916, was:
Divisions OF
3or4 Rgts. Baths,
on the western front.,,,..125 1S7t
ON the eastern front.....,.. as 81
Brings Further Changes.
A fresh awakening OF activity in the
East was occasioned when Roumaniu
came into the war. This brought fur
Their changes in the proportional
strength Of the German forces on the
respective fronts, In December, 1916
they were as follows:
Divisions OF
Sor4 Rgts Baths
on the western front....,.ul2s 1.S
on the eastern front,,..... ~ So
In July, 1917, which saw the openin,
OF both British and French offensiv,
movements. the Germans were com
PEELED TO REINFORCE their armies OF
the western front. and this brough
with II reduction of their strength
ON the eastern frontier. The total
were then;
Divs, generally
OF Rgts. Battn:
on the western front,,.....l65 ID.
| On the eastern tront.....,.. ~ Il
Owing 20 events connected with tn
revolution in Russia, Germany thre'
some more troops into the eastern fiel
~ onarntions and on Santenhpr IN