slead
the Russians. On the evening of May 1, 1915, the German batteries
began experimenting against the Russian positions. This was kept up
all night while the engineers attempted to destroy the first line of
the Russian wire entanglements. During the same night the Austrians
dragged several heavy howitzers across the road from Gladyszow to
Malastow, and got them into position without the knowledge of the
Russians. In the morning of May 2, 1915, the great batteries began
to roar against the Russian line--a fire such as had perhaps never
been witnessed before. A spectator thus describes the scene: "In
one part the whole area was covered with shells till trenches and
men were leveled out of existence." It was reported that 700,000
shells had been fired in the space of four hours, for which period
this preliminary bombardment lasted. The Russian line was turned
into a spluttering chaos of earth, stones, trees, and human bodies.
The German and Austrian batteries then proceeded to extend the
range, and poured a hurricane or shells behind the enemy's front
line. This has the effect of doubly isolating that line, by which
the survivors of the first bombardment cannot retreat, neither can
reenforcements be sent to them, for no living being could pass
through the fire curtain. Now is the time for the attacker's infantry
to charge. Along the greater part of the Ciezkovice-Walastow line
this stage was reached by ten o'clock in the morning or May 2,
1915.

A German writer tells us that "in this part or the front infantry
fighting has given place for the time being to the action of our
heavy artillery, which is subjecting to a terrible fire the positions
of the enemy. These positions had been carefully reconnoitered during
the lull in the fighting which prevailed during the last few months.
Only after all cover is destroyed, the enemy's infantry killed or
forced to retire, we take up the attack against the positions;
the _elan_ of our first attack now usually leads to a favorable
result."

At Ciezkovice the Germans pushed bridges across the Biala under
cover of a furious cannonade. Troops were thrown over, and after
a very short struggle the village was taken. The huge oil tanks
soon were in flames and Ciezkovice a heap of smoldering ruins.
The Russian defense crumpled up like smoke; their position blown
out of existence. Their guns were toys compared with those or the
Germans and Austrians. North of Ciezkovice the Prussian Guar