tant activities occupied the next few weeks. In the
meantime the disorganization of the Russian forces apparently
continued to increase. The Germans, however, apparently had decided by
this time not to attempt to make any military use of this condition,
but to improve the opportunity to come to an understanding with the
Russians. Almost daily reports appeared from various sources
indicating that a certain amount of fraternizing was going on in many
places on the eastern front. Though these reports varied very much, it
became quite clear that generally speaking the Russian lines still
held. In some places, undoubtedly, Russian detachments of varying size
laid down their arms and refused to continue to fight. There were even
isolated reports of some military groups having entered into peace
negotiations with their opponents. It is almost impossible to sift the
truth from these reports. It appears, however, that for some weeks a
more or less unofficial truce had been established almost everywhere
on the eastern front. The majority of the Russian soldiers at that
time undoubtedly were strongly in favor of immediate cessation of
hostilities. The Germans, on the other hand, seemed to be acting under
orders to treat their opponents with a minimum of severity and to
await further political developments before undertaking any important
military operations.

The Russians, though of course glad enough to notice this cessation of
military activity, apparently were frequently not willing to let the
enemy get too close to their lines, even though he pretended to come
with friendly intentions. The official Russian report occasionally
indicates this, as for instance that for April 15, 1917, which says
that "attempts to approach Russian positions at various sectors of our
front by small enemy groups, the members of which carried flags in
their hands, were discovered. These groups, on coming under our fire,
returned rapidly to their trenches."

Only very rarely, however, did the Russians attempt any offensive
movements during this period. On April 16, 1917, they made a gas
attack in the region of Konkary, but were met by strong machine-gun
fire. On the next day, April 17, 1917, the Germans started a slight
diversion of a similar nature north of Zboroff in Galicia.

At that reports began to appear concerning the massing of troops by
the Germans in the northern sector of the line, indicating an attempt
to take Riga and possibly to march