Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

CHAPTER LXXXI.

THE STRUGGLE FOR DVINSK AND RIGA.

Von Hindenburg’s New Plan—Nature of German Front—The Sea Defence of Riga—The Freezing of the Baltic—The Country before Riga and Dvinsk—Russian Plan of Defence—Von Hindenburg’s Attacks on Dvinsk—Their Failure—German Tosses—The Attack on Riga—Russian Landing at Domeness _ Germans fail to cross the Dvina—German Position for the Winter Campaign—Ivanov’s Counter-offensive—Beginning of Third Stage in Eastern Campaign—German Forces— Transport Difficulties—The Lessons of the Russian Retreat—The Importance of Fire in Modern War.

marked the real end of the great summer

offensive. When von Lauenstein’s cavalry raiders were flung back from the Polotsk railway, and the Russian right centre retook Vileika and Molodetchna, the immediate danger of a catastrophe in the field was averted. Presently came Ivanov’s offensive in the south, and on its heels the Allied advance in the West. Von Mackensen with his ten divisions was already on the Danube. In consequence von Hindenburg had to revise his plans. The old scheme of pushing in two adjacent sections of the enemy’s front, creating a salient, and striking at its roots, had to be abandoned. Winter was approaching, and the marshes and forests of Eastern Poland do not make for mobility

F SHE German failure to cut off the Vilna salient