The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1916. THE BEWILDERING RUSSIANS.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume 8, Issue 104, 16 June 1916, Page 4

The Taihape Daily Times AND WAIMARINO ADVOCATE

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1916. THE BEWILDERING RUSSIANS.

(With which is incorporated The Tai bape Post and 'Waimarino News.)

Nothing quite so sensational as the great Russian drive in Volhynia and Galicia has happened since the day war was declared. In less than a. fortnight the undaunted and unconquerable Slavs have fought their way ever almost impossible places; over; marshes and through swamps where j one false step would have meant an ■ ignominious death, and they have driven the Austro-Germans from their cement and oak built fastnesses, producing a scene of confusion and flight, i debacle that has no precedent in the > present war. City after city and - tewn after' town has been captured i and the end of the flight and pursuit ig not yet. An important consideration is that while the enemy is fleeing pell mell no losses of importance can be inflicted on the pursuer who is at the same time, in the position to inflict heaviest casualties en the pursued. This i s fully exemplified in th e huge number of prisoners taken and casualties recorded, which together total a figure that is truly appalling. The Austro-German loss is indeed startling and, it seems, from the enemies' unreadiness to oppose the continuing rout, it was altogether unexpected. While troops are being ' i looked for from various fronts to throw in the path of the oncoming Russians, there is a bright prospect that such an advance will be consolidated in a Avay making the South Russian front the scene of greatest interest, rendering even the huge slaughter that has for months been proceeding in France look small. True it is, that all military experts are ncn-plussed, taken by surprise. Look where we will for explanation—London Times, and other British journals —nothing is said to help us to an understanding of Russia's wonderful . performance. The only word that at all helps is "Co-ordination," and if that is the keynote, to what wonderful, bewildering extremes has co-ordi-naticn been carried. 'We know that Russian s have been sent to the western front, and now it has slipped past the censor that Belgian motor forces are operating with Russia in this sroat drive. Co-ordination, we be- ' Hove, is the magical word that covers '< a strategy that our enemies have not fathomed or become aware of. It ' makes one wonder, even, whether the ['

Yvestern front is to be the decidingbattle ground. Brusiloff's movements indicate that he has enormous forces, equipped as such huge battalions were never armed before; that he has victoriously passed over many miles of territory, so far ha s his great army gone that it should prove a source of weakness to him unless he has new armies of artillery waiting, ready harnessed to gallop through the lines of his victorious infantry, following as closely as possible on the heels of his brilliantly pursuing cavalry. He is daring to manoeuvre In a way that would mean disaster without the consciousness of overwhelming strength

(at hand to throw in if the tick of plan 1 should go awry, and in answer to congratulations Brusiloff briefly replied that he hoped for success upon success that would utterly crush the enemy. Words, deeds, daring and strength all strongly testify to the power of the Russian forces, and the Mntention to push through to no one I yet knows where. That Brusiloff has I been entrusted with no ordinary niis- ' sion is new superevident. Cement trenches reinforced with oak beams, fourteen deep one behind the other, filled with machine gun and trench mortars, and well covered by heavy artillery, are no tin obstacles to be 'run over by a few Russians; they constituted a something in which German military experts put their trust and confidence, knowing that nothing short of almost Impossible force and power could reduce them. This enables us to see in clear perspective what the magnitude of the Russian offensive must be. It is that co-or-dination that has concentrated a force, not to win one great victory, but a force that is composed of several complete armies that can follow each other, new armies pushing through victorious forces to other victories, one resting and reorganising while others carry on the drive. No time is being allowed the enemy for safely digging in where advantageous positions are available for their artillery. If Brusfloff does manage to utterly crush his enemy, it is certain that another large enough and formidable enough cannot be put in the way to Russia passing through the Carpathians on the Hungarian plains. When once there Budapesth, the capital of Hungary will seen be in danger and Hungarians will almost certainly cut the tie with Austria and pray for a separate peace. It is not believed that Hindehburg has the forces to help very much, but it is very evident that the Russians. vopposite him are strong and anyvweakenjng of the German position; >there, would spell rtheir. disaster. >.Jfc looks although the war/ has taken a most unexpected, turn, a turn satisfactory to the, Allies, but immensely disastrous" to our enemies: This remarkable record offensive still continues; the Pruth. bridgehead has been captured and the environs of are already in Russian , . ' j \'V, ; -\j* 3i.lb C occupation.