the Augustowo
and Suwalki woods to the position which had been prepared for the
Russian defense. The total Russian losses may have been 80 guns and
30,000 men; they were no more. The two southern corps, in spite of
their stubborn action at Lyck, crossed the woods between Augustowo
and Ossowetz without serious disaster."

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXXIX

BATTLES OF PRZASNYSZ--BEFORE MLAWA

The shattering of the Tenth Russian Army in the "winter battle" of
the Mazurian Lakes was part of a greater conflict which in February,
1915, extended far down the armies on the right flank of the great
Russian battle line which ran from the Baltic to the Dniester. A
"new gigantic plan" of the Slavs was involved. As interpreted by the
German General Staff it meant that while the extreme northern wing
of the Russian armies was to sweep westward through the projecting
section of Germany, East Prussia, along the Baltic another Russian
army was to advance in force from the south against the corner
formed by West Prussia and the Vistula. With vast masses of cavalry
in the van, it was to break through the boundary between Mlawa and
Thorn, and pushing northward, come into the rear of those German
forces which were facing eastward against the attack aimed at East
Prussia from the northeast. For operations in this section the
Russians had favorable railway connections. Two railways terminating
at Ostrolenka permitted the rapid unloading of large masses of
troops at this point, and the line Warsaw-Mlawa-Soldau led straight
into the territory aimed at by such an invasion. It seemed easily
credible that the Russian commander in chief did, as reported,
give orders that Mlawa should be taken be the cost what it might.

The northern Russian armies based upon the fortresses of Kovno and
Grodno on the Niemen had not fully started on their part of this great,
well-planned undertaking when the German counteroffensive was suddenly
launched with tremendous strength from the Tilsit-Insterburg-Mazurian
Lakes line. The disaster which followed, and which banished all hope
of an advance of the Russians on this wing, has been described on
a preceding page. While the Germans, using to the best advantage
their net of railroads for the swift accumulation of troops, had
gathered large forces on the Mazurian Lakes line, they had at the
same time strengthened the troops standing on the southern boundary
of West and East Prussia. An ar