ected to
elapse before a general engagement developed along the entire front.
Lateral communication or cooperation between the advancing columns was
out of the question; the passes were like so many parallel tunnels,
each of which must first be negotiated before a reunion can take place
at the northern exits.

We will follow the achievements of the three groups in separate order.
Army A, under Boehm-Ermolli, crossed Uzsok and Rostoki, and forced
part of the Russian line back upon Baligrod, but Brussilov held it
fast on Dukla and Lupkow, strongly supported by Dmitrieff on his
right. Here the attack failed with severe losses; the Germanic forces
were thrown back into Hungary, and the Russians commanded the southern
ends of the passes around Dukla. The Uzsok Pass was of small
strategical value to the Austrians now that they had it. It is
extremely vulnerable at every point; steep, narrow, and winding roads
traverse its course nearly 3,000 feet high, with thickly wooded
mountains up to 4,500 feet overlooking the scene from a close circle.
Regarded merely as a short cut to Przemysl and Lemberg, the Uzsok was
a useful possession provided always that the northern debouchment
could be cleared and an exit forced. But the Russians held these
debouchments with a firm grip, and the pass was consequently of no use
to the Austrians. About February 7, 1915, the Russians attempted to
outflank the Austrian position in the Lupkow Pass from the eastern
branch of the Dukla by pushing forward in the direction of Mezo-Laborc
on the Hungarian side. The movement partially succeeded; they took
over 10,000 prisoners, but failed to dislodge the Austrians from the
heights east of the pass. Severe fighting raged round this district
for over a month, the Russians finally capturing Lupkow, as well as
Smolnik at the southern exit of Rostoki. Had the Russians succeeded in
getting between Uzsok and the Austrian line of communication, as was
undoubtedly their aim, the Austrians would have been compelled to
relinquish the pass without even a fight. However, General
Boehm-Ermolli's mission proved a failure.

Army B, under Von Linsingen, succeeded in traversing all the passes in
its appointed section. Crossing by the railway pass of Beskid and the
two roads leading through Vereczke and Wyszkow, they pushed forward in
the direction of Stryj and Lemberg, but never reached their
destination. Barely through the passes, the Germans struck upon Lysa
Gora, over