of them
were being mowed down under destructive German fire, the Germans
captured the Gniza and Sereth crossings from Trembowla to Skomorocze.
They were also advancing rapidly on both sides of the Dniester.
Kolomea was captured by Bavarian and Austro-Hungarian troops. In the
northeastern portion of the wooded Carpathians Austrian troops were
following on the heels of the Russians who retreated in the direction
of the Pruth.

[Illustration: The Entire Eastern Battle Front, August 1, 1917.]

Without let-up the Germans and Austrians continued to press back the
disorganized Russian armies. By July 27, 1917, the Austro-German
divisions under General von Boehm-Ermolli had crossed the
Jablonica-Horodenka-Zablowow line. Austrian troops on the northern
wing were drawing close to the Pruth Plateau below Kolomea. West of
Seletyn-Fundul, on the Moldavian Road in the wooded Carpathians,
German and Austro-Hungarian troops wrested some heights positions from
the still resisting Russians.

By July 28, 1917, the Russians on both sides of Husiatyn had retired
behind the frontier. German corps had reached Zbrocz. Others
approached the confluence of the northern Sereth and the Dniester.
Between the Dniester and the Pruth the Russian rear guard made a
stand. The Germans in a powerful attack broke through their positions
and pursued the Russians on both banks of the Dniester. In the
Cheremosh Valley Kuty was taken. Above and below the town a crossing
of the river was effected by the Austrians.

In the last days of July, 1917, the Russian resistance stiffened
slightly. Still the Teutonic forces gained new successes in eastern
Galicia and Bukowina. The river Zbrocz was crossed at many points by
German and Austro-Hungarian divisions from above Husiatyn to south of
Skala, on a front of thirty-one miles, in spite of the bitter
resistance of the Russians. Between the Dniester and the Pruth the
allied Teutonic troops captured Werenocanka and Sniatyn, in the
direction of Czernowitz.

In a strong assault German chasseurs broke through Russian rear-guard
positions near Visnitz. The Russians were thereby forced to evacuate
the Cheremosh line and retired toward the east. Also in the wooded
Carpathians, on the upper course of the southern Sereth, and on both
sides of the Moldava and the Suczawa, the Austro-Germans gained ground
in an attack toward the east. Under pressure of this success the
Russians abandoned their first-line positions in the Me