t if they would not
attack he would march toward the enemy's trenches alone, was embraced
and kissed by soldiers.

The Russian attacks were made at various points. In the direction of
Kovel (Volhynia), in the region of Rudkasitovichskaya, Russian scouts
under command of four officers, after destroying the wire
entanglements by mines, penetrated the Austrian trenches, killed some
of the occupants, and captured a number of prisoners. According to the
testimony of prisoners, the Austrians knew of the attack from two
deserters. In the direction of Zloczow, after two days' artillery
preparation, Russian troops attacked the Austro-German positions on
the Koniuchy-Byshki front. After a severe engagement they occupied
three lines of trenches and the fortified village of Koniuchy and
advanced to the Koniuchy stream, to the south of the village of the
same name.

Farther south, southeast of Brzezany, after artillery preparation,
Russian troops attacked the strongly fortified positions of the
Germans and after stubborn fighting occupied them at places. Germans
and Turks made counterattacks, and formidable positions changed hands
constantly. Along the Stokhod and on the Dniester the lively artillery
activity of the Russians continued. As a result of these attacks the
Russians claimed to have captured 164 officers, 8,400 men, and seven
guns. On the other hand, the Germans claimed that sixteen Russian
divisions constantly employing fresh troops assaulted their positions,
which were completely maintained or recaptured by counter attacks by
Saxon, Rhineland, and Ottoman divisions. The Russian losses surpassed
any hitherto known. Some units were said to have been entirely
dispersed. The Germans apparently considered these attacks very
serious, for it was announced officially that Field Marshal von
Hindenburg and General von Ludendorff, quartermaster general, had
arrived at headquarters of the Austro-Hungarian army to visit the
Austrian field marshal, Artur Arz von Straussenburg.

CHAPTER XCI

THE RUSSIAN JULY OFFENSIVE

It soon became clear that the gradual increase in fighting activity
was not simply an impulsive response to Prime Minister Kerensky's
eloquence or the result of isolated local conditions. Gradually the
fighting spread over more and more ground. It became more efficient
and less spasmodic. Undoubtedly this was partly due to the fact that
matters behind the front began to settle down somewhat and that
suppl