ne, Vitry and Argonne.

The German forces were driven back step by step to the north bank of the
Aisne, where the army was able to entrench itself and the Germans and
the Allied forces began digging themselves into the ground in a manner
that had never before been practised in warfare.

While Germany was striking at France, the Russians had invaded Austria,
capturing Tarnapol and Lemberg and investing the great fortress of
Prezemsyl. Austria was compelled to call upon Germany for assistance and
four German army corps, under Von Hindenburg, were drawn from East
Prussia and went to the rescue. Instead of trying to stem the progress
of the Russians, he made a counter offensive with Warsaw as the
objective. Russia was compelled for a time to abandon its positions and
retreat, and Von Hindenburg got within seven miles of Warsaw before the
Russians rode down upon his forces with 100,000 horsemen and compelled
retreat. Von Hindenburg's strategy had, however, been successful, and
his action on the Eastern front at this time marked the first step
toward his pre-eminence as a military commander.

BRITISH AND GERMAN FORCES COMPARED.

During 1915 the Allied forces were able to do little more than hold
their positions. Lord Kitchener had builded up a British volunteer army
in which great hopes were placed, but in the matter of offensive
military tactics they could not cope with the formidable German forces,
nor had the Allies developed an offensive which would win without
terrible sacrifice, and in the encounters the very flower of Great
Britain's manhood, as well as thousands of the best fighting men of
France, were lost to the world forever. It was in this year, when
Germany made use of asphyxiating gas for the first time, that Canada
received its most stinging blow. The famous Princess Pats, the finest
military body of the Dominion, was practically annihilated, and in the
final formidable attack of the year made by the French against the
Germans in September, the latter were driven back several miles, but at
a cost of more than 100,000 French lives.

In this year, too, the Germans succeeded in capturing much territory and
a number of valuable positions which had been taken by the Russians, and
the combined forces of Von Hindenburg and Von Mackensen finally
conquered Poland. Warsaw was evacuated in July, and in August Prince
Leopold led the Bavarian into the Polish capital. On August 19 the great
stronghold of Kovno fell, a