It was now that the strong Russian forces poured into the town from the north, and the final battle began in the streets. For some time the fierce fight was kept up, but the Austrian detachments, recognising the hopelessness of their position, surrendered one by one.
The Slav inhabitants received the conquerors with demonstrations of delight and shouts of “Long live the army of the Russian liberators.” The singing of the Russian National Anthem mingled with the last shots fired at the routed Austrians in the neighbourhood of the town.
Then the progress of the Russian regiments through the town became like a triumphal procession. As they passed down the streets cheers were raised, and flowers were showered upon them from the crowded windows. At half-past ten the Russian flag fluttered out from the staff on the roof of the Town Hall.
Russia thus achieved the first great triumph of the war and ensured the accomplishment of the first step towards Berlin—the smashing of the military power of Austria. In addition they had won 637 guns, 44 quickfirers, flags, and 64,000 prisoners, in addition to immense stores of ammunition and provisions.
CHAPTER VII
The Significance of Lemberg
The Austrians had prepared Lemberg for a siege of at least a year. The Russians captured it in a week. The fortresses, which were reckoned as first-class examples of modern fortifications, were reduced to ruins by the bombardment of the Russian heavy artillery. The victory, therefore, proved to the Russians, just as Liège and Namur had proved to the Germans in the west, that modern fortresses are helpless against modern artillery. The Russians employed no remarkably heavy guns, but merely their ordinary siege howitzers. There are no secrets about these weapons. They are of about the same calibre and weight as those of the Germans and of every other army. The question of transport limits the size of these weapons, and no nation can employ a gun which exceeds a certain well-defined standard. Just as, however, the fall of Namur and Liège was responsible for rumours of secret monsters from Krupp’s of infinite power, so the fall of Lemberg was responsible for similar rumours about the Russian guns. In each case the rumours were absurd, for the simple reason that guns of such immense power would be too heavy to move.
In any case, the Russians had every reason to be satisfied with the performance of their guns. They had proved themselves capable of reducing the finest modern fortifications. What had been accomplished at Lemberg could be done with equal facility at Przemysl, Cracow, Posen and all the other fortresses guarding the road to Berlin. Germany and Austria have spent millions on these fortresses, which have been proved to be practically worthless as obstacles in the path of an invader.
The remarkable speed with which the position had been taken, coupled with the enormous losses inflicted on the defending army, was certain to have a most damaging effect on the moral of the Austrians. Owing to racial jealousies and hatreds the Austrians had already displayed a lack of cohesion and fighting spirit, except perhaps in the German and Magyar regiments operating with the chief army in Poland. Now the last shreds of moral force would disappear. The troops had been sullen and half-hearted; now they were dejected as well. To extricate herself from a very critical position Austria demanded the utmost spirit and determination from her troops. In her hour of need there was every prospect of their failing her.