f the Lomnitza. The Russian offensive on the
Slivkiasen front met with stubborn resistance.

CHAPTER XCIII

THE COLLAPSE OF THE RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE

The accomplishments of the Russian armies during the first two weeks
of July, 1917, were little short of marvelous. Not only had they
captured such important points as Halicz and Kalusz and had forced
back the Austrian lines in southeastern Galicia for miles and miles,
but they had also taken large numbers of prisoners and captured
valuable booty. From July 1 to July 13, 1917, 834 officers and 35,809
men were captured by the Russians, with ninety-three heavy and light
guns, twenty-nine trench mortars, 493 machine guns, forty-three mine
throwers, forty-five bomb mortars, three fire throwers, two
aeroplanes, and much equipment.

By the middle of July, 1917, however, the first fury of the Russian
onslaught had spent itself, and then too, as so often before, the
Central Powers had recovered from their first surprise and had
succeeded, thanks to their superior transportation facilities, in
bringing up strong reserves. For the first time since the beginning of
the Russian offensive on July 15, 1917, there appeared definite signs
that the German defensive was stiffening. On the lower Lomnitza there
were fusillades and artillery bombardments. Northeast of Kalusz the
Germans made energetic attempts to throw back the Russian troops on
the Lomnitza. The battle on the Landes-Reuldzian-Kraisne front
continued all day. After a severe engagement the Austrians were driven
out of the village of Lodziany and pressed hard to the river Lomnitza,
but owing to attacks made by their newly arrived reserves from the
direction of Rozniazov, and in view of the great losses, the Russian
troops were compelled to retire a short distance and intrench
themselves in the eastern end of the Lodziany.

Then on July 16, 1917, came the news that the Russians had been forced
to evacuate Kalusz. Northeast of Kalusz the Germans had conducted
persistent attacks which at first had been repulsed by the Russians.
Finally, however, Russian troops occupying the left bank of the lower
course of the river Lomnitza were transferred to the right bank,
leaving Kalusz in Austrian hands and securing behind them the
important crossing of the Lomnitza.

In the Novica-Lodziany-Kraisne section the Russian troops continued
their attacks, with the object of throwing the enemy back across the
Lomnitza. The Germans made