after the capture of its defenders. North of the Slanio
Valley, after driving away Russian forces and repulsing counterattacks
by outposts, Austro-German forces advanced their fighting position on
a ridge of heights.

East of Lipnicadolna, on the Narayuvka River (Galicia), the Russians
exploded a mine under some German trenches and occupied the crater.
The Germans, however, reconquered the position in a counterattack.
South of Brzezany a Russian attack, made after mine-throwing
preparations, was repulsed.

On February 22, 1917, near Smorgon, west of Lutsk and between the
Zlota Lipa and the Narayuvka, fighting with artillery and mine
throwing became more violent. Near Zvyzyn, east of Zlochoff, German
thrusting detachments entered a Russian position and after blowing up
four mine shafts returned with 250 prisoners, including three officers
and two machine guns. A successful reconnoitering advance was made
southeast of Brzezany by another German detachment.

Similar enterprises, frequently accompanied by increased artillery
activity, were carried out in various parts of the front toward the
middle of March, 1917. Thus on March 12, 1917, north of the
Zlochoff-Tarnopol railroad, German reconnoitering detachments made an
attack during which three Russian officers, 320 men, and thirteen
machine guns were captured. Advances into the Russian lines near
Brzezany and on the Narayuvka also brought gains in prisoners and
booty.

Again on March 14, 1917, near Vitoniez, on the Stokhod, and near
Yamnica, south of the Dniester, enterprises of German thrusting
detachments were carried out with success. More than 100 prisoners and
several machine guns and mine throwers were brought back from the
Russian positions.

In the meantime there had occurred one of the most momentous events of
the war. The great Russian nation had risen in a comparatively
bloodless revolution against its former masters, the autocratic
government headed by Czar Nicholas. Though these events took place
March 8-11, 1917, news of them did not get to the outside world until
March 16, 1917. By then the czar had abdicated both for himself and
for his son. He, as well as his immediate family, had been made
prisoners. A new democratic though temporary government had been set
up by the guiding spirits who had directed the upheaval.

Of course, the Germans and Austrians were not slow in taking advantage
of these new conditions. Fortunately for Russia the spring thaw