And farther west still we
shall look upon the invasion of the old Polish city of Cracow, also
strongly fortified. This section is especially rich in industries,
mines, and agriculture.
Here, too, are staged many of the battles of the rivers--parallel
with the mountain ranges flows the Dniester in a southeasterly
direction, into which, flowing down from the north and running
parallel with each other, empty the Gnila Lipa, the Zlota Lipa, and
the Stripa, all of which figure prominently in the war movements,
for each of these is crossed several times by both armies engaged
at bloody costs.
As will be noted by reading the chapters on the fighting on the
eastern front, here, as in East Prussia, the Russians make a determined
advance and actually succeed in conquering this territory from
the Austrians. At one time we find them even in possession of all
except one of the chief passes in the Carpathians and threatening
to overrun the plains of Hungary. To hold Russian Poland it was
necessary that they should have a firm grip of East Prussia and
Austrian Poland, thus protecting the flanks of their center. Had
they been able to hold their grip, then they could have straightened
out their entire line from north to south, and Warsaw would have
been safe. But we shall see both their extremities driven back;
therefore Warsaw was in danger, in spite of its fortifications.
That the Austrians should have allowed themselves to be thrust
back over the Carpathians is one of the surprises of the early
stages of the war.
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