The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1919-12-01

The western army was well pre-
pared On June. 1871 when events IN
tho east reached sudden crisis.
Events turned out al we had expect.
81. The Russian revolution had weak
ened the enefny's lighting strength.
The wish for peace seemed 10 be gain.
MS ground In Russia. but the atu.
tudc Of the new Russian government;
and Of tho Russian people and army
In this matter was not united
The minister OF foreign affairs,
Afiliukor. pressed for the continue.
ton Of the war and tho rccastiug OF
the map Of Europe at the expense Of
tho quadrupie alliance. Other minis
tors talked about a peace without an.
nexations or indemniti~s and the
right OF nations TO self.ds,ermination.
but they wcr. all unanimous in de.
handing adherence 10 the alliance
with the entente powers. and We had
10 reckon with their deliberate 81
forts TO quell any desire for peace
In Russia. There was not tho faint.
est ground for expecting any reiaxa.
ton Of their desire 10 annihliate us.
The attitude OF the Russian troop.
was In some places friendly. and We
gladly met them half way. On other
parts Of the front active hghting
continued. but We kept as quiet as
we could. In April and May and
right into June the general military
position was not such N to encour-
age us to seek greater activity on
the eastern front.
Tho government were also afraid
that an attack on our part might
check the disinierration Of Russia.
At the beginning Of April events
there were developing very rapidly.
Linsingen's group OF armies car.
rled out a local attack on a bridge
head on the Stockhod. northeast Of
Kovcl. which had survived the fight.
ing Of 1916. This was In itself an i'm.
portant undertaking. but the number
Of prisoners We took was 20 large
that even I was astonished. The i'm.
perial chancellor approached me with
the request TO make as little as pos
slble of this success. and I did a. he
asked. tho extremely unwilling. The
troops who had carried out the Mt.
tack did not deserve to be passed
over In silence.
In the press our reserve about the
stoclshod battle gave rise 20 certain
amount Of criticism. understood
this. but considered II my. duty TO
acoede 10 the chancclior's request. I'm
order not to disturb in any. way the
prospects OF peace. which at this mo-
ment really were looming in view.
General. headquarters forbade any
further demonstrations OF force.
TROUBLED BY
KERENskY
with Kerensky's boider activity in
May the great danger OF the Russian
army being feorganized increased.
England. France and tho United
states spared no effort to achieve
this object. In view OF this frequent
discussions took place at general
headauartcrs as TO whether a rapid
attack on the eastern front with
troops that the commnnder.in-chief
there could furnish, strengthened
by a few divisions from the west,
would not be better policy than con.
tinulng TO play the part Of inactive
spectators; for now was the moment
10 level a blow at the Russian army.
while II was still In diminished
strength.
I did not concur with this idea. al.
tho the position In the west had
improved. I was unwilling 10 do any.
thing. even in appearance. that
might iniurc real prospect Of peace.
From q military point OF view, too,
this line Of conduct was justified. be-
cause every revolution undermines
and rots the fighting strength OF an
army.
I certainly wondered whether in
this case IL were so, when on July
/, the first Russian attack took place
in Galicia. The time of tedious wait
ing in the east was over. and general
headauarters no longer had their
hands tied. but were given fun free
dom OF action.
DEsERTERs
TOLD OF PLANS
The Russian offensive was planned
on a large scale. The attack was 20