Cortina d'Ampezzo, on the Italian side,
suffered a great deal from Austrian shells, while Toblach, on the
Austrian, was the equally unfortunate recipient of Italian gunfire.

On the western frontier, between Italy and Austria, along Val
Camonica, only artillery bombardments were the order of the day. These
were particularly severe at various times in the region of the Tonale
Pass, but without important results.

Aeroplanes, of course, were employed extensively, both by the
Austro-Hungarians and the Italians, although the nature of the
country did not lend itself as much to this form of modern warfare as
in the other theaters of war. Some of these enterprises have already
been mentioned. The Austrians, in this respect, were at a decided
advantage, because their airships had many objects for attacks in the
various cities of the North Italian plain. Among these Bergamo,
Brescia, and Padua were the most frequent sufferers, while Italian
aeroplanes frequently bombarded Austrian lines of communication and
depots.

CHAPTER XXXVIII

RUSSIAN SUCCESSES AFTER ERZERUM

With the same surprising vigor with which the Russian armies in the
Caucasus had pushed their advance toward Erzerum, they took up the
pursuit of the retreating Turkish army, after this important Armenian
stronghold had capitulated on February 16, 1916. With Erzerum as a
center the Russian advance spread out rapidly in all directions toward
the west in the general direction of Erzingan and Sivas; in the south
toward Mush, Bitlis and the region around Lake Van, and in the north
with the important Black Sea port of Trebizond as the objective. This
meant a front of almost 300 miles without a single railroad and only a
limited number of roads that really deserved that appellation. Almost
all of this country is very mountainous. To push an advance in such
country at the most favorable season of the year involves the solution
of the most complicated military problems. The country itself offers
comparatively few opportunities for keeping even a moderate-sized army
sufficiently supplied with food and water for men and beasts. But
considering that the Russian advance was undertaken during the winter,
when extremely low temperatures prevail, and when vast quantities of
snow add to all the other natural difficulties in the way of an
advancing army, the Russian successes were little short of marvelous.

As early as February 23, 1916, the right wing of the Russian