Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-10-21

was more in the front lines than there
should have been. The problem of
getting our heavy transport over the
bad roads gave me the acutest anxiety.
The retirement was to be carried
out in a direct westerly direction. if
possible, thereby escaping the enemy's
enveloping movement.
On the whole, our strategic re-
treat" as it was christened by the
soldiers, was carried out according
to plan and in perfect order. The
countryside was spared. This retreat
will be for all time an example of
safe and humane warfare.
The Guard reserve corps had a
hard time of it on the right wing, for
the resistance of the Austrian LIST
army was crumbling steadily, and it
kept yielding TO the enemy's frontal
attacks.
The Austrian armies retired on both
sides of the Vistula till they were on
level with Cracow. and part of their
forces found themselves right in the
Carpathians southwest of Przemysl.
Retire TO German Frontier.
OF the 9Th army, the following units
had to retreat:
The Guard reserve corps, goth army
corps and Landwehr corps--pasu the
Kielce-Tomassov line, half way to the
Cracow-Czestochova line north of
C2estochova.
The 18th army corps and General
Frommels corps-past the Petrikov-
LODI line. and join hands with the
Landwehr corps at Wielun
Positions had been prepared round
CzestochoVa and Wieun.
The nth army corps. which with
drew southwest Of Sieradz.
(These positions were all within %
miles of the German frontier)
Between the rivers Prosna and
Warta the 5th cavalry division. which
had come from the western front, the
Sth cavalry division and the It'll Aus
trian cavalry division were concen-
trating under General Won Frommel,
who now gave up his command of the
35th reserve division, and Count Won
Bredow's Landwehr division.
The Landsturm formations went
back to the Kalisz- Wreschen- Thorn
line. (Wreschen was across the Ger
man frontier)
The Russians followed at full
strength. They also attacked us very
heavily in East Prussia and near
Mlawa. The position became very
serious. We longer for an opportu-
nifty of resuming the offensive. but
with the Austrian army so near such
an operation would have been hazard
Gus, and, IN any case. the offensive
could only have been a frontal attack.
We should only have failed
Plans Attack To the North.
A great decision had now to be
taken. l was more and more con-
WINGED that our only course was to
send large part of the army round
by rail to Hohensalza and Thorn, and
from there bring them down along
the Vistula in the LODI Lowicz direc-
ton, so that they could fall on the
flank of the Russians and bring their
advance to standstill. What forces
could be spared for the operation
was further question
Our first business was to delay the
Russians as long as possible and keep
them away from the German railways
The destruction of railways and
roads had been prepared for in very
wholesale manner Experience had
taught us that a modern army cannot
operate more than $50 miles from its
railroads. If this We're true, and we
were able to destroy the railways as
thoroughly as | hoped. we could count
on bringing the Russian masses to "a
standstill. even without
fighting, before they reached our
frontier.
In spite of all our preparations, it
was not an easy matter to carry out
the destruction of the railways, for
the troops We're always wanting to
defer the operation. But there was
no help for it. l gave the orders and |
saw they were carried out. Captain |
Sperr assisted me splendidy. With |
out more ado the troops demolished |
the road bridges. An immense amount
Of work was accomplished.
| had the satisfaction of seeing that |
enemy advance gradually slow down I
and actually come to a standstill at |
the very distance | have mentioned, /
and this though we had left behind |
arge stores. the destruction of which |
had forbidden,
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france, Belgium, Holland. Russia and
he scandinavian countries.)
In the next article General Luden-
lorff tells how he planned to shift
operations to the north of Warsaw
nd make a drive on the flank of the
russian army that would be annihi-
ating.
TrNy ~ vyy~Ay~- II