_Chapter II. of this section of the review bears the headline "Wastage
of German Effectives."_
The wastage of effectives is easy to establish, it says. We have for the
purpose two sources--the official lists of losses published by the
German General Staff and the notebooks, letters, and archives of
soldiers and officers killed and taken prisoners. These different
documents show that by the middle of January the German losses on the
two fronts were 1,800,000 men.
These figures are certainly less than the reality, because, for one
thing, the sick are not comprised, and, for another, the losses in the
last battle in Poland are not included. Let us accept them, however; let
us accept also that out of these 1,800,000 men 500,000--this is the
normal proportion--have been able to rejoin after being cured. Thus the
final loss for five months of the campaign has been 1,300,000 men, or
260,000 men per month. These figures agree exactly with what can be
ascertained when the variations of effectives in certain regiments are
examined.
It is certain that the majority of the German regiments have had to be
completely renewed. What, then, is the situation created by these
enormous losses?
_This question is answered by a statement headed "German troops
available for 1915."_
The total of German formations known at the beginning of January, says
the review, represented in round numbers 4,000,000 men. According to the
official reports on German recruiting, the entire resources of Germany
in men amount to 9,000,000. But from these 9,000,000 have to be deducted
men employed on railways, in the police, and in certain administrations
and industries--altogether 500,000 men. The total resources available
for the war were therefore 8,500,000. Out of these about one-half, say
4,000,000, are now at the front. The definitive losses represent at
least 1,300,000 men. The available resources amounted, then, at the
beginning of January, to 3,200,000 men.