A Popular History of The Great War/Volume 1/Page 201

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GERMAN HELP FOR AUSTRIA


country on either side, and turn the land, even in the month of September, into green, untraversable morasses. It was bad strategy on the part of the Austrian commaiider-in-chicf to place Ills armies with their backs to a wide, long stretch of swamp. But he had been so confident of at least holding the Russian attack that he did not trouble to arrange for the possibility of a sudden retreat. In the end this cost him half his army, almost all his war stores, and a large number of his guns—some captured in the fight, but more bogged during the murderous rout through the river sw^amps. For two or three days after the victory over the enemy’s left wing and centre, the two immense bodies of defeated troops werc^ shepherded into difficulties rather than continually tut dowm. For most of the victors were as fatigued as the vanqui.shed. thoughtheCossacksseemedtobeindefatigable. Theykeptthe routed forces moving and allowed them no chance to re-form. Meanwhile, the Russian commander was agaiti drawing of! troops from the centre for more battle work. For the Austrian right wing in Galicia, between Rava Russka and Gorodok, close to Lemberg* was putting up a magnificent fight. This stand was unexpected, for man}" of the troops had been thorouglily defeated inthefirstbattlesaroundLemberg. Theconflictappearstohave begun soon after the capture of Lemberg, when the Bulgarian General Radko Dmitrieff advanced with some 40,000 men to drive in the still retreating wing and thus e?ipose the retreating centre army to a rear attack. Into this part of the battlefield, however, there were suddenly poured enormous reinforcements, including the second three German army corps sent in answer to Austria's appeal. The Austro-Germans took the offensive and made continual attacks ofamostdeterminedkind. Thebruntoftheseassaultsfellupon the40,000menundertheheroicBulgarian. Inthisplacethe Austrians and Germans outnumbered the Russians by four—or evenfive—toone. TheRussiansfoughtinasplendidlystubborn and enduring manner. For three days and nights the conflict raged unceasingly, and Dmitrieff had to use his troops to the uttermost. ItwasGeneralBrusilofIwhocametothehelpof liis former companion in victory at Halicz. But even when their forces were united they were still outnumbered by the opposing army. The Austro-Gemian forces here were directed by the Archduke Frederick.

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