The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1917-11-15
FLUX and REFLUX
OF GERMAN ARMY
English Writer Shows How
Forces Were'SWung to
and Fro.
WEST TOTAL near MAXIMUM
On Sept. the Fighting Troops There,
He Figures, Reached 1859 Batal-
ions-Roumania's Entry
Causes Swift Change

With the French Armies.-The f1ux
and reflux 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 to the various phases Of
| the war; starting with the invasion of
,, Belgium in August, 1914, going right
through the allied offensives of 1915
and 1915, the German operations be-
fore Verdun, the movements on the
Russian and Roumanian frontiers, and
concluding with the position as it was
on September / this year.
It will be seen that in 1914 the Ger
mans threw onto the western front,
including the army that forced its way
through Belgium, 1,190 battalions of
infantry; while on the Russian front,
from which they did not await much
activity, they left only 800 battalions.
By September 1 this year these totals
had been enormously raised, for on
that date they had on the Franco-Bel-
gian-British front no fewer than 1869
battalions, 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
Utilities only 1872 were engaged.
From One Side to Other.
A glance at the totals of the battal-
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 .. 961h 1,190
On the eastern front. 261s- 322 |
The battle of the User in November,
1914, caused the Germans to intensity |
their effort in the West. They brought |
up their effectives 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
4Regts. Baths.
On the western front . 1041a 1928
On the eastern front. 3211 1893
Then came the Russian offensive,
which compelled Germany to look
round in order to find more troops to
meet it. 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 reached on
that side, the position stood:
Divisions of
8 or Rgts. Baths
On the western front. .103 1,120
On the eastern 'front.'. 67 78O
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 effectives by bringing many divi-
sions westward, so that the position In
June, 1916, was:
Divisions of
or Rgts. Baths.
IN the western front ......125 1875
IN the eastern front........ 48 574
Brings Further Changes.
A fresh awakening of activity In the
East was Occasioned when Roumania
,ame into the war; This brought fur
her changes in the proportional
strength of the German forces on the