The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1919-10-18
Rennenkampf's Treachery
Prevented Wars End

CONTINUED from Page Three.)
sian army which were marching on
Koliuszki Station
RUSSIA'S GREAT OPPORTUNITY
The details of the various engage
ments which now developed with the
Third guard division, under General
Litzmann, the 18th r. c. and Won
Richthofen's cavalry corps. have been
wonderfully described by Captain. Won
Wulffen in brochure. can, there
fore, refer to IT,
From enemy wireless messages we
learned in Posen. far from the bat
tlefield, how hopefully the Russians re-
garded the situation, how they plan
ned the various battles, how they al
ready exulted at the thought of captur-
ing various German corps. They were
preparing trains in readiness for the
transport of the prisoners,
l cannot describe what l then felt.
What was at stake? Not only the
triumph of the enemy and the capture
of so many brave men. but nothing less
than a lost campaign After this de-
feat the Ninth army would have had
to be withdrawn. What would then
have been the position at the end OF
|1914?
The Bresiny episode closed with a
brilliant feat of arms. The surrounded
German troops broke through north
wards on the night of the 24th-25th
November. They took with them TO-
600 prisoners and many captured guns.
SAVED BY RENNENK AMPF
The units that broke though were
posted between the goth A c. and the
First r. C. In this way our front was
made much more dense, and when the
Russians assaulted it in force 1t was in
vain.
(After the Germans got out OF the
trap General Rennenkampf was as
missed by Grand Duke Nicholas be-
cause he failed to bring up his troops
ring firmly. 1t was his troops who
crossed the Vistula so slowly, as men
toned by Ludendorff)
The great aim of our operations, the
destruction of the Russians in the bend
of the yistuIa. had not been attained
as we had not proved strong enough
for TINT purpose.
From now on to- the end of November
the Russians pressed the Ninth army
severely and attacked further south
also, but without much success. Az
the end Of November and beginning OF
December, when the First division
from the Eighth army and the REIN
sorcements from the west had at last
arrived, I had an opportunity of re-
sumng temporarily my Original plan
Of operations In the bend of the Wis
sula there were again a, series OF san
culinary conflicts.
NO CHANCE FOR BOLD BLOW
The left wing of the Ninth army had
now been so strengthened that there
was no longer cause for anxiety. 1t
could slowly work its way toward the
enemy's positions on the Bzura (the
outward defenses of Warsaw. But
this movement. was now merely in the
nature of a purely frontal attack ana
not an enyeloping movement on bolu
sgee.
The Second A. C. had been sent to
positions east of Sieradz. At the be-
ginning of December an attack made
by the Second A. c. was crowned with
success and they pushed forward In
the direction of Lodz. What would we
not have given for this success fort
night earlier.
cember and retired behind the river
Miashga Further south. also. we now
gained more ground owing to the
enemy having weakened that part OF
his line in the latter half of November
in order to hold LODI.
On December Is Lowiez was taken
by our northern wing, and from our
central front further local progress was
recorded.
South OF Cracow the situation had
become more acute. The ACslro-Hun-
garian general staff had urgently asked
for a German division to reinforce the
the 47th reserve division. From a
purely theoretical point of view this
appeared to be mistake-and events