Meanwhile, the Germans had been active further to the south. The provinces of Kalish and Kelche in Russian Poland were invaded. The invading forces were not in any great strength, but the Russians did not attempt to offer any serious opposition to the advance, contenting themselves with pursuing the same tactics as those adopted by the Germans in Eastern Prussia. The Germans, for their part, were in no mind to hurry, and were content to advance slowly and prepare for the coming shock between the main armies. They established themselves firmly along a line extending from Sieradz in the north, through Radomsk towards Kelche.
In the preliminary operations between Russia and Germany, therefore, neither side could claim any great advantage. The Russians obtained a footing in Eastern Prussia, and the Germans penetrated into Russian Poland. As events turned out, however, the latter was the more permanent advantage.
The operations between Russia and Austria were more decisive. The invasion of Russian Poland by the Austrians was a very half-hearted affair. The mutinous spirit of the troops and the wholly unexpected success of the attack by the Serbians and Montenegrins on Bosnia and Herzegovina paralysed the Austrian advance. Nevertheless, some progress was made in Poland, thanks more to lack of opposition than to any display of military virtues. Forces from Cracow proceeded northward over the frontier, and joined the Germans between Kelche and Radomsk. This advance was described in Berlin and Vienna as a triumphant march on Warsaw, but it was not anything so serious. Warsaw was never in the slightest danger. However, it was certainly an advance.
The Russian invasion of Galicia, on the other hand, was of definite significance. As early as August 8th a Russian army advanced from Rovno, crossed the Styr, and obtained a footing across the frontier. On the 10th the Austrians had their first experience of the Cossacks. Two regiments of infantry, supported by a regiment of cavalry, occupied a position near Brody. They were attacked by a company of Cossacks, and in the course of a few minutes were in the wildest flight, leaving ample evidence of the prowess of the Cossacks.
On the 12th the Russians gained an important success by capturing Sokal, which lies on the River Bug, just across the frontier. The town is an important railway centre, and its possession was a matter of vital interest to Austria. A determined advance towards Vladimir Volynski was a definite part of the Austrian programme. If successful, the move would have had far-reaching effects, for it would have broken the railway between Rovno and Warsaw, and so seriously impeded the completion of the Russian mobilisation and render communication between her central and southern armies very difficult. For this advance Sokal was the only possible base of operations. The Austrians, therefore, defended the town to the utmost of their power. The passage of the Bug was fiercely contended, but after some hours of furious fighting, during which both sides lost heavily, the Russians managed to capture the bridge. This practically settled the engagement. The town was unfortified, and at the mercy of the attacking force. The Austrians, with the dreaded Cossacks in pursuit, were soon in headlong flight out of the town. The destruction of the railway station and bridge rendered the Austrian advance in this direction impossible for some considerable time.
When, therefore, on August 17th, a general advance was ordered, Russia had every reason to be satisfied with the state of affairs. True, the enemy had established themselves in Poland, but this was more than balanced by the advances into Eastern Prussia and Galicia. Russia indeed had achieved more than she had reckoned on. During this preliminary phase she had fully expected that Poland would be invaded. She had also expected that her right and left flanks would have been more or less seriously threatened by forces from Eastern Prussia and Galicia during the most difficult process of mobilisation. The forces at Kovno and Rovno were sent to deal with that menace, and to hold it in check until the main armies were ready. They not only achieved that object, but carried the attack into the enemies’ countries.
CHAPTER V
The Advance into Eastern Prussia
The Russians must be somewhat of a disappointment to many experts, professional and amateur, whose supreme ignorance of the conditions obtaining in the eastern theatre of the war was only equalled by their sublime confidence in the ability of a steamroller to push forward, full steam ahead, over all obstacles and against all opposition. When towards the middle of August the news came that Russia was ready for serious business, it was confidently predicted that the end was in sight. It was only a matter of 180 miles from the Russian frontier to Berlin, the Germans had only Landwehr and Landsturm forces, contemptible third-rate fighting material, to defend her territories, and Austria was too busy shooting her own mutinous soldiers to be a menace to anybody. Obviously then, said the strategists, it could only be a matter of days before the tramp of the Russian legions would be heard perilously close to Berlin, the Kaiser would have to withdraw his forces from the west to meet the danger in the east, the allies would overthrow his weakened armies and hurl them back against the oncoming Russian hordes. Armageddon looked to be in danger of degenerating into a race to Berlin.