es were taken, and saying they were willing to die if the
Germans were only beaten. Such sentiments typify the extent to which
this conflict is now rooted in the hearts of the Russian army and
people."

CHAPTER XVI

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.