THE RUSSIAN MARCH--OFFENSIVE FROM RIGA TO PINSK
Beginning with March 1, 1916, active campaigning was renewed along the
eastern front. Climatic conditions, of course, made any extensive
movements impossible as yet. But from here and there reports came of
local attacks, of more frequent clashes between patrols, and of
renewed artillery activity. Some of these occurred in the Bukowina, in
Bessarabia, and in Galicia, others in the neighborhood of
Baranovitchy, north of the Pripet Marshes, and, later, toward the
middle of March, 1916, fighting took place at the northernmost point
of the line, near Lake Babit.
It was not until March 17, 1916, however, that it became more apparent
what was the purpose of the many encounters between Russian and German
patrols that had been officially reported with considerable regularity
since the beginning of March. On March 17, 1916, both the German and
Austro-Hungarian official statements reported increased Russian
artillery fire all along the line. On the following day, March 18,
1916, the Russians started a series of violent attacks. The first of
these was launched in the sector south of Dvinsk. This is the region
covered with a number of small marshy lakes that had seen a great deal
of the most desperate fighting in 1915. With great violence Russian
infantry was thrown against the German lines that ran from Lake
Drisviaty south to the town of Postavy; another attack of equal
strength developed still further south along both banks of Lake
Narotch. But the German lines not only held, but threw back the
attacking forces with heavy losses which, according to the German
official statement of that day were claimed to have numbered at Lake
Narotch alone more than 9,000 in dead.
In spite of these heavy losses and of the determined German
resistance, the Russians repeated the attack with even increased force
on March 19, 1916. At Lake Drisviaty, in the neighborhood of Postavy
and between Lake Vishnieff and Lake Narotch attack after attack was
launched with the greatest abandon. This time the Germans not only
repulsed all these attacks, but promptly launched a counterattack near
Vidzy, a little country town on the Vilna-Dvinsk post road, capturing
thereby some 300 men. The German official statement claimed that these
prisoners belonged to seven different Russian regiments, giving
thereby an indication of the comparatively large masses of troops
employed on the Russian side.
Again on March 30, 1916, new attacks were launched in the same
locality. At one point the Germans were forced to withdraw a narrow
salient which protruded to a considerable distance just south of Lake
Narotch. Russian machine guns had been placed in such positions that
they enfiladed the salient in three directions and made it untenable.
The German line here was withdrawn a few hundred feet toward the
heights of Blisuiki. During the night of March 20, 1916, especially
violent attacks were again launched against the German lines between
Postavy and Vileity, a small village to the northwest of that town.
There the Russians succeeded in gaining a foothold in the German
trenches. During the afternoon the Russians attempted to extend this
success. With renewed violence they trained their guns on the German
positions. In order to throw back a strong German counterattack, a
curtain of fire was laid before the trenches stormed earlier in the
day. At the same time German artillery strongly supported the attack
of their infantry. On both sides the gunfire became so violent that
single shots could not be distinguished any longer. Shrapnel exploded
without cessation and rifle fire became so rapid that it sounded
hardly less loudly than the gunfire. Late in the afternoon the Germans
succeeded in retaking the trenches which they had lost in the morning,
capturing at that time the Russian victors of the morning to the
number of 600.
On the same day, March 21, 1916, the Russians extended the sphere of
their attack. At the same time that they were hammering away at the
German lines south of Dvinsk other attacks were launched all along the
northern front. In the Riga region, near the village of Plakanen, as
well as in the district south of Dahlen Island, heavy engagements were
fought. Farther south, between Friedrichstadt and Jacobstadt, on the
south bank of the Dvina River the Russians captured a Village and wood
east of Augustinhof.
At many other points, along the entire eastern front from Lake Narotch
south attacks developed. In most of these the Russians assumed the
initiative. But here and there--near Tverietch, just south of Vidzy;
along Lake Miadziol, just north of Lake Narotch, and around Lake
Narotch itself--the Germans attempted a series of counterattacks
which, however, yielded no tangible results. All in all, the day's
fighting made little change in the respective positions and the losses
in men were about evenly divided.
The violence and energy with which the Russian attacks during March
were executed may readily be seen from reports of special
correspondents, who were behind the German lines at that period.
Their collective testimony also tends to confirm the German claims
that very large Russian forces were used and that their losses were
immense.
"From Riga to the Rumanian border," says one of these eye-witnesses,
"thundered the crashing of guns.... About seventy miles northeast of
Mitau, a chain of lakes runs through the wooded, swampy country,
narrow, long bodies of water follow the course of Mjadsjolke River, a
natural trench in a region that is otherwise a very difficult
territory by nature. In the south the chain is closed by Lake Narotch,
a large secluded body of water of some thirty-five square miles,
through which now runs the front. In the north of this chain of lakes,
near the village of Postavy, a thundering of guns commenced on the
morning of March 18, 1916, such as the eastern front had hardly ever
heard before. Russian drum fire! From out of the woods, across the ice
and snow water of the swamps, line after line came storming against
the German trenches.... On the same day, farther south, between Lakes
Narotch and Vishnieff another Russian attack was launched.... The
losses of the Russians are immense. More than 5,000 dead and wounded
must be lying before our positions only about ten miles wide. During
the night a lull came. But with the break of dawn the drum fire broke
out once more, and again the waves of infantry rolled up against our
positions.... During the night from March 19 to March 20, 1916, the
drum fire of the Russian guns increased to veritable fury. As if the
entire supply of ammunition collected throughout the winter months
were to be used up all at once, shells continuously shrieked and
howled through the darkness: 50,000 hits were counted in one single
sector...."
Another correspondent writes: "The numbers of the Russians are
immense. They have about sixty infantry divisions ready. Their losses
are in proportion and were estimated on a front of about ninety miles
to have been near to 80,000 men. For instance, against one German
cavalry brigade there were thrown seven regiments with a very narrow
front, but eight lines deep. Four times they came rushing on against
the German barbed-wire obstacles without being able to break through,
but losing some 3,000 men just the same.... On March 24, 1916, 6,000
Russian shells were counted in a small sector on the Dvinsk front."
In the latter sector and to the north of it, heavy fighting had
developed on March 22 and 23, 1916. Especially around Jacobstadt,
attack followed attack, both sides taking turns in assuming the
offensive. The Russian attacks were particularly violent during the
evening and night of March 22, 1916, and in some places resulted in
the temporary invasion of the German first-line trenches. Especially
hard was fighting along the Jacobstadt-Mitau railroad. Between Dvinsk
and Lake Drisviaty a violent artillery and rifle duel was kept up
almost continuously, resulting at one point, just below Dvinsk near
Shishkovo, in the breaking up of a German attack. South of the lake,
at the village of Mintsiouny, however, a German attack succeeded and
drove the Russians out of some trenches which they had gained only the
day before. Here, too, both artillery and rifle fire of great violence
carried death into both the Russian and German ranks. At Vidzy, a few
miles farther south, the Russians stormed four times in quick
succession against the German positions. Northwest of Postavy another
Russian attack failed, the Germans capturing over 900 men and officers
at that particular point. On the other hand, a German attack still
farther south and northwest of Lake Narotch was repulsed and the
Russians made slight gains in the face of a most violent fire. Near
the south shore of Lake Narotch a German attack supported by
asphyxiating gas forced back the Russians on a very narrow front for a
very short distance. From Lake Narotch down to the Pripet Marshes the
Russians maintained a lively cannonade at many points without,
however, making any attacks in force.
During March 23, 1916, a determined Russian attack against the
bridgehead at Jacobstadt broke down under the heavy German gunfire.
During the night repeated Russian attacks to the north of the
Jacobstadt-Mitau railroad a surprise attack southwest of Dvinsk and
violent attacks along the Dvinsk-Vidzy sector suffered the same fate,
although in some instances the Russian troops succeeded in coming
right up to the German barbed-wire obstacles. Between Lake Narotch and
Lake Vishnieff the Russians captured some woods after driving out
German forces which had constructed strong positions there.
Without cessation the Russian attacks continued day by day. Fresh
troops were brought up continuously. The munition supply, which in the
past had been one of the chief causes of Russian failure and disaster,
seemed to have become suddenly inexhaustible. Not only was each attack
carefully and extensively prepared by the most violent kind of
artillery fire, but the latter was directed also against those German
positions which at that time were immune from attack on account of the
insurmountable natural difficulties brought about by climatic
conditions. For by this time winter began to break up and ice and snow
commenced to melt, signifying the rapid approach of the spring floods.
To a certain extent these climatic conditions undoubtedly had an
important influence on Russian plans. Almost along the entire northern
part of the front the Germans possessed one great advantage. Their
positions were located on higher and drier ground than those of the
Russians, whose trenches were on low ground, and would become next to
untenable, once thaw and spring floods would set in in earnest. There
is little doubt that the great energy and superb disregard of human
life which the Russian commanders developed throughout the March
offensive were principally the result of their strong desire to get
their forces on better ground before it was too late or too difficult,
and from a tactical point of view the risks which they took at that
time and the price which they seemed to be willing to pay to achieve
their ends were not any too great.
In spite of the lack of any important success the Russian attacks
against the Jacobstadt sector were renewed on March 24, 1916. But the
German guns had shot themselves in so well that it availed nothing.
Other attacks, attempted to the southwest of Dvinsk and at various
points north of Vidzy suffered the same fate. In the neighborhood of
Lake Narotch Russian activities on that day were restricted to
artillery fire.
The Germans assumed the offensive on March 25, 1916, on the
Riga-Dvinsk sector. Their guns were trained against Schlock, a small
town on the south shore of the Gulf of Riga, just northwest of Lake
Babit, against the bridgehead at Uxkull, fifteen miles southeast of
Riga on the Dvina, and against a number of other positions between
that point and Jacobstadt. A German attempt to gain ground north of
the small sector of the Mitau-Jacobstadt railway, that was still in
Russian hands, failed in the face of a devastating Russian cannonade.
A German trench was captured by Russian infantry ably supported by
artillery west of Dvinsk, but neither southwest nor south of this
fortress were the Russians able to register any success. Northwest of
Postavy and between Lake Narotch and Lake Vishnieff heavy fighting
still continued and in some places developed into hand-to-hand
fighting between smaller detachments. From Lake Narotch down to the
Pripet Marshes German and Russian guns again raked the trenches facing
them.
On March 26, 1916, the following day, the Russians attacked at many
points. Northwest of Jacobstadt, near the village of Augustinhof, a
most violent attack brought no results. Northwest of Postavy the
Russians stormed two trenches. Southwest of Lake Narotch repeated
heavy attacks were repulsed and some West Prussian regiments recovered
an important observation point which they had lost a week before. Over
2,100 officers and men were captured that day by the Germans.
Aeroplanes of the latter also resumed activity and dropped bombs on
the stations at Dvinsk, and Vileika, as well as along the
Baranovitchy-Minsk railroad.
Russian artillery carried death and destruction into the German
trenches on March 27, 1916, before Oley, south of Riga, and before the
Uxkull bridgehead. In the Jacobstadt sector, as well as near Postavy,
violent engagements, launched now by the Germans and then again by the
Russians, occurred all day long without yielding any results to either
side. Southwest of Lake Narotch the Russians made a determined attack
with two divisions against the positions captured by German regiments
on the previous day, but were not able to dislodge the latter.
Fighting also developed now in the Pripet Marshes and the territory
immediately adjoining. Weather conditions were rapidly changing for
the worse all along the eastern front. Thaw set in, and all marsh and
lake ground was flooded. Everywhere, not only in the southern region,
but also in the northern, the ice on the rivers and lakes became
covered with water and was getting soft near the banks. Throughout the
northern region the melting of the thickly lying snow in the roads was
making the movements of troops and artillery extraordinarily
difficult.
As a result of these conditions, which were growing more difficult
every day, a decided decrease in activity became immediately
noticeable on both sides. For quite a time fighting, of course,
continued at various points. But both the numbers of men employed as
well as the intensity of their effort steadily increased.
Before Dvinsk and just south of the fortress artillery fire formed the
chief event on March 28, 1916. But south of Lake Narotch the Russians
still kept up their attacks. At one point, where the Germans had
gained a wood a few days ago the Russian forces attacked seven times
in quick succession and thereby recovered the southern part of the
forest. Along the Oginski Canal fighting was conducted at long range.
German aeroplanes again dropped bombs, this time on the stations at
Molodetchna on the Minsk-Vilna railroad, as well as at Politzy and
Luniniets.
Both March 30 and 31, 1916, were marked by a noticeable cessation of
attacks on either side. Long-range rifle fire and artillery
cannonades, however, took place at many points from the Gulf down to
the Pripet Marshes. German aeroplanes again attacked a number of
stations on railroads leading out of Minsk to western points.
Of all the violent fighting which took place during the second half of
March, 1916, along the northern half of the eastern front, the little
village of Postavy, perhaps, saw more than any other point. The
special correspondent of a Chicago newspaper witnessed a great deal of
this remarkably desperate struggle during his stay with Field Marshal
von Hindenburg's troops. His vivid description, which follows, will
give a good idea of the valor displayed both by German and Russian
troops, as well as of the immense losses incurred by the attackers
during this series of battles lasting ten days.
"Despite the artillery, despite the machine guns and despite the
infantry fire, the apparently inexhaustible regiments of Russians
swept on over the dead, over the barbed-wire barriers before the
German line, over the first trenches and routed the German soldiers,
who were half frozen in the mud of their shattered shelters. A
terrible hand-to-hand conflict followed. Hand grenades tore down
scores of defenders and assailants' attacks. The men fought like
maniacs with spades, bayonets, knives and clubbed guns.
"But the Russians won at a fearful price for so slight a gain. They
stopped within a hundred feet of victory. It may have been lack of
discipline, lack of officers or lack of reserves; no one knows.
"The Russians seemed helpless in the German trenches. Instead of
sweeping on to the second lines they tried to intrench themselves in
the wrecked German first line. Immediately German artillery hurled
shells of the heaviest caliber into those lines and tore them into
fragments.
"Then came the reserves and by nightfall the Russians had again been
driven out.
"Four days later, suddenly without warning, a mud-colored wave began
to pour forth from the forest. It was a line of Russians three ranks
deep containing more than 1,000 men. Behind this was a second wave
like the first, and then a third.
"The German artillery tore holes in the ranks, which merely closed up
again, marched on, and made no attempt to fire. They marched as though
on parade. 'It was magnificent but criminal!' said a German officer.
"When a fourth line emerged from the woods the German artillery
dropped a curtain of fire behind it, and then a similar wall of shells
ahead of those in front. They then moved these two walls closer
together with a hail of shrapnel between them, while at the same time
they cut loose with the machine guns.
"The splendid formation of Russians, trapped between the walls of
fire, scattered heedlessly in vain. Shells gouged deep holes in the
dissolving ranks. The air was filled with clamor and frantic shrieks
were sometimes heard above the incessant roar and cracking of
exploding projectiles.
"Defeated men sought to dig themselves into the ground in the foolish
belief that they could find safety there from this deluge of shells.
Others raced madly for the rear and some escaped in this way as if by
a miracle. Still others ran toward the German lines only to be cut
down by the German machine-gun fire.
"In less than twenty minutes the terrible dream was over. The attack
had cost the Russians 4,000 lives, and yet not a Russian soldier had
come within 600 yards of the German line."
Another important feature of the March offensive, especially in its
early phases, was the patrol work, executed on both sides. This
required not only courage of the highest order, but also a high degree
of intelligence on the part of the leader as well as of the men
working under him. The results obtained by patrol work are, of course,
of the greatest importance to the respective commanding officers, and
many times the way in which such a mission is carried out is the
decisive factor in bringing success or failure to an important
movement. At the same time patrol work is, of course, a matter of
chiefly local importance, and no matter how difficult the problem or
how cleverly it is solved it is only on rare occasions that the result
reaches the outside world, even though a collection of detailed
reports which patrol leaders are able to make would form a story that
would put to shadow the most impossible book of fiction or the most
unbelievable adventure film.
The following two descriptions of such work, therefore, make not only
a highly sensational story, but prove also that war in modern times
relies almost as much on personal valor and initiative as in times
gone by, all claims to the contrary notwithstanding, and in spite of
the wonderful technical progress which military science of our times
shares with all other sciences.
An American special newspaper correspondent with Von Hindenburg's army
reports the following occurrences and also gives a vivid pen picture
of conditions in the territory immediately behind the front:
"In a forest near the town of Lyntupy a patrol of thirteen Russian
spies hid in an abandoned German dugout in the course of a night march
southward to destroy a bridge over the river Viliya with high
explosives.
"Desperate for food, they finally intrusted their safety to a Polish
forester, ordering him to bring food. The forester promptly gave the
Germans information. The Germans surrounded the dugout, throwing in
three hand grenades. On entering the dugout they discovered ten
Russians killed by grenades and three by bullets.
"The Russian lieutenant had shot two comrades not killed by grenades
and then himself, in order to escape execution as spies, for the
patrol was not in uniform.
"Another audacity was performed during a Russian attack on the German
trenches. From the darkness came a voice calling in perfect German,
'What is the matter with you? Are you soldiers? Are you Germans? Are
you men? Why don't you get forward and attack the Russians? Are you
afraid?'
"Bewildered by these words coming up to them direct from the nearest
wire entanglements, the Germans turned a searchlight in the direction,
discovering the speaker to be a Russian officer who had taken his life
in his hands on the chance of drawing the Germans from the trenches.
His audacity cost him his life, for instantly he fell before a volley
of bullets.
"The Germans speak well of the marksmanship of considerable bodies of
the Russian infantry. Personally, I can say they shoot as well as I
have any desire to have men shoot when aiming at me. Twice on Friday I
was sent scurrying off exposed ridges by the waspish whisper of
bullets coming from a Russian position jutting from the south shore of
Lake Miadziol.
"There is not only railroad building, but also much farming going on
around Karolinow. The land for a distance of thirty miles has been
divided into thirteen farm districts by the Germans and planted to
potatoes, rye, oats and summer barley. In many parts the Germans are
taking a census, all their methodicalness contributing vastly to the
troops' comfort and happiness. Their health is amazing. The records
of one division show five sick men daily, which is not as many as one
would find in any town of 20,000 in any part of the world.
"German caution and inventiveness also keep down the casualties
marvelously. Records I saw to-day showed thirty-eight wounded in one
division in the month of March, though the division was attacked twice
during the offensive. The percentage of heavily wounded for all the
German troops in this region in the last three months averages seven.
"Despite the horrible roads, Field Marshal von Hindenburg has
penetrated to numerous villages on the front in the last few days to
greet and thank the troops. Returning to his headquarters Von
Hindenburg attended a banquet given by princes, nobles and generals of
the empire to mark the fiftieth year of the field marshal's army
service. Present amid the notables was a private soldier, in civil
life a blacksmith, who was elected with two officers by their comrades
to represent Von Hindenburg's old regiment at the banquet. The private
was chosen because he had been in all the battles, but never had been
wounded and never sick. He wears the Iron Cross of both classes."