strength. The center of the Russian right wing was
forced back continuously until it had reached a line almost
twenty-five miles east of its former positions.

In the south, too, the Turkish forces scored some successes against
the Russian troops, who had been pushing toward the Tigris Valley from
the mountains along the Persian border. On June 8, 1916, Turkish
detachments even succeeded in crossing the border and occupied
Kasr-i-Shirin, just across the frontier in Persia. By June 10, 1916,
these troops had advanced sixteen miles farther east and fought slight
engagements with Russian cavalry near the villages of Serpul and
Zehab.

In the north the Turkish advance continued likewise. An important
engagement between Turkish troops and a strong Russian cavalry force
occurred on June 12, 1916, east of the village of Amachien and
terminated in favor of the Turks.

Fighting continued throughout the balance of June, 1916, all along the
Turko-Russian front from Trebizond down to the Persian border
northeast of Bagdad. At some points the Russians assumed the
offensive, but were unable to make any impression on the Turks, who
continued to push back the invader and, by quickly fortifying their
newly gained positions, succeeded in maintaining them against all
counterattacks.

By June 30, 1916, Kermanshah in Persia, about 100 miles across the
border, was seriously threatened. On that day Russian forces, which
retreated east of Serai, could not maintain their positions near
Kerind, owing to vigorous pursuit. Russian rear guards west of Kerind
were driven off. Turkish troops passing through Kerind pursued the
Russians in the direction of Kermanshah.

On July 5, 1916, Kermanshah was occupied by the Turkish troops after a
battle west of the town which lasted all day and night. The first
attempt of the Russians to prevent the capture of the city was made at
Mahidesst, west of Kermanshah. Here the Russians had hastily
constructed fortifications, but the Turks, by a swift encircling move,
made their position untenable and forced them to retreat farther east.
A strong Russian rear guard defended the village for one day and then
followed the main body to a series of previously prepared positions
just west of the city. Here a terrific battle lasting all day and all
night was waged, and resulted in the retreat of the Russians to
Kermanshah. Three detachments of Turks, almost at the heels of the
Muscovites, drove them out before they c