Ripley County democrat., 1917-11-23

BY September ] this year these totals
had been enormously raised. for on
that date they had on the Franco-Bel-
gian-British front no fewer than 1850
battalions. while on the eastern front
they had In position 965 battalions.
Thus at the present moment they are
employing 2,ss4 battalions on both
fronts, whereas at the opening Of hos.
tilities only 1.512 were engaged.
From One eide to Other.
A glance at the totals Of the battal-
Ions in line on the two fronts at differ.
ent periods of the war 10 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
a very great extent to take care Of
itself. At that time the infantry effec-
lives were disposed az follows:
Divisions Of
4Rgts. each. Battns.
On the western front........ esh LILO
On the eastern front. 28M az
The battle Of the User In November.
1914. caused the Germans to intensity
their effort In the West. They brought
up their electives to a higher total
there, but at 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
<Regts. Battns.
On the western front. 1888
On the eastern front........ M s9s
Then came the Russian offensive.
which compelled Germany to look
round in order to find more troops to
meet II. She therefore reduced her
electives somewhat on the western
front and sent them eastward. at the
same tims 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 reached ON
that side. the position stood.
Divisions Of
sor Rsts. Battns.
On the western front........fe l.nc
On the eastern front........ q 100
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 infnn-
try electives BY bringing many divi-
slons westward. 30 that the position 10
June, 1915. was:
Divisions Of
ss4Rgts. Battns
| On the western front........l1 In
| On the eastern front........ H H'
Brlnps Further Changes. h
A fresh awakening Of activity In tho
East was occasioned when Roumanis
came into the war. This brought fur
ther changes IN the proportional
strength Of the German forces on th'
respective fronts. In Decsmbef, 1916
they were a. follows:
| Divisions Of
| soy RstA Hattnn
| On tho western front. ......l29 In
| On the eastern frcut........ D @
In July. 1917, which saw the openinI
Of both British and French offensive
movements, the Germans were com
PEELED to re-enforcs their, armies o.
the western front. and this abrough
with II q reduction Of their strengtl
on the eastern frontier. The total
were then:
i 9al Dsva. generally
OF Rgts. nattni
On the western front. t........W IL
On the eastern front........ - q
Owing to events connected with tn
revolution In Russia. Germany thres
some more troops into the eastern ilel
OF operations, and on September ! u
situation was as follows:
Divisions cf
eRgtA BakfnI
On ths western front. "
On the eastern front.....s.. -
These figures refer merely to Ii
| troops engaged In the ilshting line, an
| leave ont Of account those IN garriso
10 the interior Of the country, as we
al those on the lines Of communities
fion. n
| At the beginning of ths war u
strength Of she German battalion va
about 1000 men. On the aasumptic
| that this strength has been meintains
ths cor7espondsat's 1tatoment Ind
Gates ~ prssence y 1,eooOoo Germs
troops a ~ Wpstsen fEoaf y septeu
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