1915-02-20 — Page 8

THE HONG KONG TELEGRAPH.

THE COURSE OF THE WAR.

AN INTERESTING ANALYSIS OF THE FIGHTING.

"The Strategic Plans East and West Explained.

[Below we give the first instalment of an article on the course of the war in December, which has been written by Mr.

Frank H. Simmonds for the

1. The Beginning of the Endi

number of the North was entab-

EXTRA

HONGKONG, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1915,

.

A new circumstance, too, com recent despatches, the most im by the Dantzig railroad at stand at Plock, on the river, was each other, substantially intact, manded attention. When Ger portant of which extende all the Mlawa.

beaten down and the Thorn army, continuous, the Russian line many had launched her October way from the Dantzig to the In this situation the German still following the Thorn railway, bulging to the west at Lods. theast at Warsaw, it had compell Breslau railroad.

General Staff found itself looking now turned south and swept After a few days the Russians ed Russia to draw back in

The military advantage of these in the necessary numbers to must rapidly on to Lowicz, took this evacuated Lodz and moved east Galidis, to abandon the sings of railroads of the Germans is this: all attacks and defeat them at the town and a few days later seized taking up a position in front of Przemysl, to retroat behind the Russian armies advancing to same time. Rassin now had Skierniewies, thus outting both the Breslau railroad, holding San River, and send masses from invade Siltais, Posen, or Esi manifest superiority in numbers railway lines from Warasw to Lowicz and Oxenstochows and the south to the north. Bai in Prussis must move along the in all fields. Bat if Ger. Lodz. The main Russian army reating on the Vistula cast of December the German offrusive lines which have been described many could draw upon all her was now completely out off from Plock. operations, made for the same as the spokes of the Polish wheal, armies and make use of her Warsaw.

VII. Deadlock la the East, purpose, had up to December 20 Once they are well committed to superior transportation facilitias. Crossing the railways and The capture of Lodz be the proved unavailing. Indeed, while such an invasion a Russian army, it was still possible for her to put continning south, the Thorn army Germana provoked temporary in the earlier advance the Ras for example, moving along the in an army at a salented point presently stood aquarely in the German enthusiasm,

promptly sians had only reached Tarnow, Breslan line can only com- which would be larger than the main Russian army, which, by checked by German military au courage, German efisiency and in December their artillery was manicats and send reinforce Russian and might make por this time, had come back upon thorities, who pointed out that skill, would no longer avail to bombarding Cracow, their in- meats to another army moving uible a repetition of the victory of Lodz Meantime the German the capture of the city was of keep the battle lines on both fantry partially surrounding the along the Dantzig line, by send- Tannenburg in September, when forces about Kalisz had moved little real value unions the Ru fronts outside her own territory fortress,the sole barrier to Bilesia, ing. troops all the way back to the troops withdrawn from the rapidly after the-retresting sian army which had occupied Looking sexward, too, the deand their cavalry had again Warsaw, that is, up one spoke West had been rashed into East Russians and were west and could be decisively defeated. American Review of Reviews.cisive defeat of the last German crowned the Carpathians and and dowa another, Bat the Ger- Prussia and had destroyed a Rus south-west of Lodz. At this point similar explanation was presently Though there have been fleet on the high dess always dowed down into the Hangarisa mans, possessing the strategio sian army, obanges in the situation since inevitable, given the superiority plait. In East Prussia, too, the lines along the rim of the wheel,

the Russians were almost sur-made by Petrograd. The truth, Even if no Russian disaster rounded, and presently lost control of course, was that both Germany. then, the article will be found of the allied navies, served to Rataisa invasion continued des could sand their troopa directly followed it was fair to suppose of the only railway that had re- and Russia had failed to destroy of consuming interest from the emphariss anos more how fatally

from Czestochowa to Mlawa. that such a drive directed at the mained open to them, that from an opponent who had been within fact that it makes clear tho the net was being drawn about rite German efforts in Poland.

For all this there was the single Again, while the Russians would contre might at the least compel Ledz to Iyangorod on the Vistula twɔ steps of rain, but tba Gar. strategic movea of the armies the German Empire! Itsarved to and helps the reader to see and recall for all Americans the cir- and simple oxplanation. To Ger- bave to use the railroads needed the Russians to halt in their south of Warasw

man disappointment was tho foel, as well as comprehend, cumstances of the Confederacy, and her Austrian ally there to supply the armies in the field offensive in Galicia and Esat Looking back over the reports greater, because it was vitally the terrible conflict as the lines when,Gettysburg lost, and the were now lacking the numbers to for such a 03ncentration, the Ger Prussis and despatch troops to the of the late November battles, it necessary for Germany to relieve of baitle are dead-looked or as Atlantic blockade made effective, most on equal terms the forces mans would be able to use lines danger point to parry the thrust. will be recalled that at one point: Galicia and Poland by hez offen arrayed against them in the East parallel, not perpendicular, to their Precisely this had been accom- the official statements in Berlin sive, and she had so far failed. nów pituations develop.] -the superiority in resources and and in the West. On both fronts front, and not used in supplying plished by the October advance forecast the approach of a great To capture Lodz was an empty they were now outnumbered. In their Ircopa actually in the field. to Warsaw. This would be a victory and the removal of the triumph. Lodz had been in ber In any general survey of the lished, and the Civil War sattled the West the Germans still held A glenos at the map of Ger- considerable profit for Germany Rassino megaco, Von Hinden bands from August to history of the Great War in its down to a process of attrition. Host of Belgium and a thin slice of man, territories just inside the now facing the possibility of an burg was made a Field Marshal November. What was of mo fifth month, the moral rather thanThen came destraction by cam-northern France, but in the East frontier from Poland will show invasion from the east, for Amatris, for his success. This happened meat was the fact that in her the military part of the operations paign in which neither skill, de- takes first place. For if the Ger. Totion nor valour could avail Russian soldiers occupied a corner that the region is a perfect not- Galicia, and Bakovina, all but at the moment when the main front the Russian army was call man attack in the opening months against anmbers, wealth, and sea of East Praxis, and Austria had work of railroads, thus affording lost was weakening visibly. But Russian army was standing aanbroken and her losses in a dar

abandoned all of Galicia save the many lines by which to more if anol a drive failed to achieve a Lodz, almost surrounded and ing but abostive offensive had might fairly be likened to a forest | power.

Taus for the outside world. De territory about Cracow and bad troops to the front as well as par- Russian rout, did not avail to end apparently threatened with de been colossal, had compelled her fire sweeping irresistibly forward

Russian attacks north struction. This wse the first to weaken her western" armies over vast distriols, sver widening cember seemed to mark the ba-again evacuated Bakovina, Up. allel to the front, while Russian the its area of destruction and mount ginning of the end, not in the wards of 35,000 square miles, Poland, save for the lines, men- and south, then it was perfectly phase of what has been called the and thus abandon the offensive in

Flanders. ing aver higher in its violenos, itsense that the approsch of panc had thus been temporarily or waya," and these bad bean par- General Staff Erst, that no tem

with a population of 10,000,000, tioned, is practically without rail-clear to the world, to the German Battle of Lodz. is not leas patent that, December was measurably, hastened, not that permanently lost to the two on tially destroyed in November,

By December 15 the German porary occupation of Polish Contrary to every natural ex- and Russian armies which had come, there was east and west in the prospect of a long and ter

Thanks to these railways, then, territory or cities would be of pectation, the Russians did not at fought the Battle of Ladz stood Europe an evident slackening of rible war was banished, but porara, completa ust-off for tho the fire, a growing competence simply in the sense that under questa of Germany in the the Germans possessed at the out- value. This detail should be this critical moment stay their squarely face to lose, but the Bu

West..

set of the December campaign a remembared always in consider, hand either in Galicia ur in Eastmans wers rooted behind entrench on the part of those whose asces political conditions existing while

In examining the progress of tremendous advantage. Having ing this operation,

Prussia. sity it was to limit, control, ex- the ranks of her enemies remained the campaign in the Laat in De much smaller armies to use, they

Instead, gatheringup ments recalling the German posta Bach being the view of the all their garrisons from Warsaw, tion at the Aisne. In the centre tinguish the blazo.

unbroken, there was no longer any promise of ultimate German camber three circumstanose maat were still able, by moving them German General Staff and such from Novo Georgiewak, from and for the moment at leset Rus be kept in mind. First, the rail rapidly from one point to another its necessities, about November Ivangorod, calling out all avail ein had brought the Garmen victory. Germany's problem henceforth seemed to be one of road map of Poland, for the whole along the rim, to maintain a supe- 16, sad from the front crossed by able reserves, drawing regiments drive to a halt because her enor defence not attack, of endurance operations were based upon the riority of numbers at the decisive the Thorn railroad, the Germans from the army which was at moda superiority of numbers and not conquest. William II was not railroads, Second, the German point for a considerable period began drive toward Warsaw Mlaws, on the Dantzig railroad, enabled her to bring up reserves to conquer Europe as Napoleon strategy, now for the first time of time, while the Russians were und along the Thorn railway. they rushed them west along the from her rear at the critical mo did at Austerlitz. Germany was shaped by the conditions imposed endeavouring, with inferior oom. The troops in this force had been Frankfurt and Brosisu railroads, ment not to control the Continent as upon the German General Staff munications, to meat a German drawn from the German armies retook Lowicz and Skierniewicz The whole purpose of German by their enemies. Third, the attack, Here is the kay of the in the East, carried to Thorn by and came down in the rear of the strategy had been to relieve Cra France had a little more than a

three phases of the campaign; in December struggle.

the strategic lines along the German army which had come cow. Look again at Cracow and century bsforo. It remained to

frontier, the rim of the Polish from Thorn.

Be it will be seen that it stands almost be seen whether the German Em- the first the Germans almost achieved a second Tannenberg,

wheel. La front of them as they What followed was the most at the southern frontier of German peror could hold Belgium as Fred

entered Poland was only a small indescribable and inextricable Silesia. Wore it in Russian handa erick the Grea: had held Silesia,

Russian force, wholly incapable confusion A Russian army the Czar could send his armies against the combined militery

of meeting the coming storm, the drawn up about Lodz, surrounded down the Valley of the Oder on strength of Europe.

Looking at the fields of opera- tion in December, it was plein that while there had been no sue cess yet in actually extinguishing the conflagration, it had been limited, circumscribed, confined to the narrowest bounds since it broke out. In places it was actually flung back; at no poist was it permitted to ravage again many of the districts which it bad swept over in the early days of August and September."

In September it was Paris which had been in danger. In October, in November, the Ger- man drive for the seacoast, for Calais and Daakirk, threatenod to conquer for the Kaiser that "window on the Channel "which for all Pan-Germans had been the dream of all dreams, the first stop in the series which was to acquire for Germany her place in the

gun,"

*

II, in the East Again. To measuring the Eastern campaign, which in December, se in November, attracted the atten-

in the second they narrowly on caped a Sedan, in the third the campaign descendel to the level of a deadlock, momentarily at least wholly comparable to that in the Weat.

IV. German Strategy, Ta describe the

German

a

BY VI. A Second Sedan? -

**

German armies in Poland and all industrial Silesia as far north as Breslan would be open to invasion. Austrian armies, too, would be crowded back beyond the High Tatra Mountains into Hungary and into Moravie, that is, away from the German

-com-

In September, after Lemberg Russian armies had passed the San and reached Tarnow on the Donajets, fifty miles from Oracow Here the invasion of Russian Poland by von Hindenburg pelled them to halt. Bat now, by the first of December, new armies were across the San, the Dous jets, were rolling on to Cracow, from the east, while a second Hassian army was coming south along the Breslau spoke of the Polth fa road system and w Cracow from the north, and ener Only on the weal was approachabis, for the German reinforcements feverishly harried to the imperi-

strategy in the Polish campaige it is sossary to look back for moment to the situation of November 20. At that date, main Russian armies being still in a semicircle by two German either bank in the rear of the it will be recalled, the Gar at the ends of the Frankfurt and armies, one to the west, the other to the north, was relieved by a man retreat from Warsaw had Breslau railway spokes. reached the Silesian and Eust V. Another Tannenborg? Russian army which came south III. The Railroad Map. Looking at Russian Poland on Praesian frontiers and Russian Look again at the map and it in the rear of that German army, tion of the whole world, it is the map, it will be soon that it troops had for the first time will be seen that the Thorn line north of Lodz, cut it off from all necessary to emphasise certain resembles a gigantic wheel, half crossed the frontier of the Pro- as it comes east toward Warsaw connection with the German army major circumstances. Above all, its circumference or rim made by vince of Posen. Contrary to the crossed the Frankfurt line at to the west, broke its railroad cam for the first time in the progress the territory of Rusais, the other general expectation, the Germans Lowice and meets the Breslea munication with Thora, with Ger of the Great War, a German army ball by Austrian and German ter- had not made a stand at the line at Skierniewicz. This latter many, and threatened a second

Sadan. But if in November and in the was brought within two steps of itory from East Prussia to Galicia. Warts River, and for the first time town is half way between Wardзw terrible battle of Ypres, of Flan- destruction. It escaped. Ger- Warsaw, the capital, in situated in the war Poland was practically and Lodz, the most considerable It was at this stage that Petro ders, this German advance had man generalahip and German about in the centre and serves as free of German invaders, town in western Poland, and grad, long silent while Berlin been halted in December it was courage rose to their highest level the hub of this Polish wheel. In their retreat from Warsaw, directly in the roar of the main forecast victory, suddenly took up clear that like the march to Paris in the months of conflict, but the From Warsaw three main rail the Germans had moved along Russian army in Poland, which the dry, and English war dorre the sweep to the Channel had moral effect was not to be mis-way radiate like the spokes of a the Frankfurt railroad, reached and followed the Germans west spondents at the Russian capital been definitely repaised. From taken. Already the world began wheel. The first, going north the frontier at Kalisz and were along the Frankfurt line toward forecast a decisive German defeat, Patently the Germane were at this Switzerland to the North San the to recall the experience of Na west, reaches the Prussian fron apparently standing there. The Kaliaz, grast German offensive had come poleon on the road to Mo300w tier near Mawa, whence it con main Russian army pursuing had Now, if the Germans coming moment nearer disaster than at any to a full stop, fallen dead, lost the and the German. Josses tinues to Dantzig. The second reached the Warta, and at points east could take both lowicz and moment since the war began necessary numbers and force, had suggested his at Borodino, when 8003 nearly due wast, approaches passed it, moving toward Kalisz. Skierniewicz before the main Their escaps will always remain sank to the level of a mere siege the very flower of the Grand Army the frontier at Kaliaz and crosses The German left, much less con-Russian army could concentrate a memorable military operation. operation in which the Germans was destroyed by Russian per- it just beyond this town, whence siderable than the centre at in front of it, they would be All that in known of it as yet were more frequently on the destinacity. Von Hindenburg's suce it continues weat to Frankfurt and Kalisz, had retreated along the between the Russian and Warsaw, comes through Russian oficial fensive than the offensive, and cons in taking Lodz, in result as Berlin. The third runs south- Thorn line and was now before would hold the railway lines by statement in which the German one by one towns and villages in in casualty list, recalled the N-west and reaches the frontier of Thorn. The German right had which the Russians were supplied. exertions are described as an

believable." Artois, in Champagne, which had poleonio victory.

Silesia out of Czanatochows, come back along the Breslau line if they were able to continue their been captured in the initial

whence it contiudes to Breslau, to Czestochotra, followed by advance they might get directlyWhat seems to have happened

was that the Thorn army east and led town, drives, were regained by allied

For convenience these three rail- Russian arm. At Cranstochows in the Russian, rear, “ advances, advances measured by

ways may be called, respectively, it had united with the Austrian If a second German army were south of Lodz turase west and The Austrian situation rods, not miles, sohieved in days,

the Dantzig, Frankfurt, and army, which had retreated from sent east from Kaling along the north, ont its way through the farther disturbed br. not honra,

Breslau lines.

Ivangorod in Foland and was Frankfurt line, following the ra army which had enveloped it, not of Cossacks, send into now defending the approach to treating Bucaians, it might attack with artillery fire, but with the move which rea the barrier immediate appeal ü Cracow on the north

them in front while the Thorn bayonet, broke dow

ration to Berlin for proteoli

but at Vienna could no campaign was still ata orisia Ger-

Galicia had swept westward to maximum profitroalised from this many had again, as before the of their armies, the Russians now saw, runs north, crossing the the very gates of Cracow, which operation, the main Russian army Battle of the Marne, to hurry east. began to demonstrate that all Frankfurt line at Lowicz and was now under are, threatened might be driven in on Lodz and ward troops necessary to enforce those advantages are not aufficient reaching the frontier at Thora, with complete investment and surrounded, its communications Victory in Flanders to avoid the to enforce victory, when the die-This will be described as the isolation from Vienna and Berlin. cut off, and in the end it might imminent disaster Russian masses parity of numbers is too great. Thorn line. M

Russian cavalry was across the be destroyed either by battle or had prepared in Poland East Napoleon's greatest campaign, Now, at the points whore all Carpathians. In the North the by lack of food and ama and west, Russisk, French and that in France in 1814, was in these four lines touch the German Russian army, whion in Septem. Here was one of the mos British armies increased in num creasingly in the minds of many, frontier, that is at the rim of ber had approached Koenigsburg and splendid conception hers, in effectiveness, in material, aa Von Hindenburg moved the Polish wheel, they meet in October retreated to the Nic whole strategy of the Gr

At the outse the advance. particularly in artillery, while rapidly from point to point, Garman railroads which follow men, and in November resumed

and military striking terrific blows, displaying the frontier all the way, and for the advance, was well Austrian resourca |

The 2 valde declined still more rapidly suprema military skill. But aach the purposes of our figure may be East Prussian tro than before, and at lust there of the blown failed, fell short of likened to the tyre of the Polish Gambing seemed to be the approach of a destroying his foo, because his wheel Those are the strategio time when German numbers and forces were too small.

For the first time it now be came clear that Russia was get. ting her millions in the field, Handicapped by the greater mo bility of her foe, by the tremend For this explanation was to be ous advantage the Germans pos- found rather in the east than the sossed in the strategio railway Woat, for while her western inside their own frontiers, by the leaves the Breslau lise at Skier Meantime a Russian army in oray was in their rear. Were the by sheer weight and

D

The only other railroad of im- mediate interest is that which

superior training and equipment niwicz, fifty miles west of War-

railroads, so much mentioned in army was, ontering Bast

the

rally

cost in lives

thing in the rible wa seemed nes

at last to call.

palliian

now raid