lies. To use a military term, it gives the Russian army a mobility
not possessed by the enemy because of a lack of similar facilities.

But should this railroad be taken by the Germans, the advantage would
immediately be reversed. And if once the Russian lines were driven back
beyond the railroad, a division of their forces would be forced upon
them; their armies would be obliged to group themselves beside the three
east and west branches already mentioned, for only by these three
systems could their forces be supplied, lateral communications being
absolutely lacking. And this is the key to the fighting, not only in the
northern section of the front, but all along the line, down to Galicia.
Naturally, only the Russian railroads need be considered, for in the
first months of the war the Germans are the invaders in the northern
half of the eastern front, except for a few short periods in the
beginning. Compared to the German railway lines near the frontier, the
Russian lines are very few.

There are two distinct railway lines running from Germany into East
Prussia, with innumerable branches leading to all points of the Russian
frontier, laid especially for military purposes. It was along these that
we shall witness the German forces rushed from Belgium to drive back the
first Russian advance. But, of course, the moment the Germans enter
Russian territory they have no advantage over the Russians, since even
their wonderful efficiency does not enable them to build railroads as
fast as an army can advance. Hence, we observe their efforts to gain
possession of the Russian railroads.

We come now to the central part of the eastern front. Here, just below
East Prussia, Russian Poland projects into German territory in a great
salient, about 200 miles wide and 250 long, resembling a huge bite in
shape.

This land is a monotonous, wind-swept plain, slightly undulating, its
higher parts not even 500 feet above sea level. To the northward and
eastward it descends gradually into the still lower lands of East
Prussia and White Russia, but in the south it lifts into the foothills
of the Carpathian Mountains.

Gigantic armies are to move over this plateau, timbered in parts with
oak, beech, and lime, and in some sections deeply cut by small rivers
and streams forming fissures, some narrow and craggy, others broad and
sloping with marshy bottoms. Toward the south the soldiers must cross
narrow ravines in all directions, often covere