ely
noticeable on both sides. For quite a time fighting, of course,
continued at various points. But both the numbers of men employed as
well as the intensity of their effort steadily increased.

Before Dvinsk and just south of the fortress artillery fire formed the
chief event on March 28, 1916. But south of Lake Narotch the Russians
still kept up their attacks. At one point, where the Germans had
gained a wood a few days ago the Russian forces attacked seven times
in quick succession and thereby recovered the southern part of the
forest. Along the Oginski Canal fighting was conducted at long range.
German aeroplanes again dropped bombs, this time on the stations at
Molodetchna on the Minsk-Vilna railroad, as well as at Politzy and
Luniniets.

Both March 30 and 31, 1916, were marked by a noticeable cessation of
attacks on either side. Long-range rifle fire and artillery
cannonades, however, took place at many points from the Gulf down to
the Pripet Marshes. German aeroplanes again attacked a number of
stations on railroads leading out of Minsk to western points.

Of all the violent fighting which took place during the second half of
March, 1916, along the northern half of the eastern front, the little
village of Postavy, perhaps, saw more than any other point. The
special correspondent of a Chicago newspaper witnessed a great deal of
this remarkably desperate struggle during his stay with Field Marshal
von Hindenburg's troops. His vivid description, which follows, will
give a good idea of the valor displayed both by German and Russian
troops, as well as of the immense losses incurred by the attackers
during this series of battles lasting ten days.

"Despite the artillery, despite the machine guns and despite the
infantry fire, the apparently inexhaustible regiments of Russians
swept on over the dead, over the barbed-wire barriers before the
German line, over the first trenches and routed the German soldiers,
who were half frozen in the mud of their shattered shelters. A
terrible hand-to-hand conflict followed. Hand grenades tore down
scores of defenders and assailants' attacks. The men fought like
maniacs with spades, bayonets, knives and clubbed guns.

"But the Russians won at a fearful price for so slight a gain. They
stopped within a hundred feet of victory. It may have been lack of
discipline, lack of officers or lack of reserves; no one knows.

"The Russians seemed helpless in the German trenches. Instead o