Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . ake much headway. But before long itsucceeded in establishing its lines within French territory justeast of the Meuse on a line running east of Verdun and St. Di^(see map). The French, however, invaded southern Alsace andoccupied a little German territory there. Thus the first threemonths of the war saw the Germans in practically complete pos-session of Belgium and Luxemburg, together with a broad stripof northeastern France, filled with prosperous manufac
Medieval and modern times : an introduction to the history of western Europe form the dissolution of the Roman empire to the present time . ake much headway. But before long itsucceeded in establishing its lines within French territory justeast of the Meuse on a line running east of Verdun and St. Di^(see map). The French, however, invaded southern Alsace andoccupied a little German territory there. Thus the first threemonths of the war saw the Germans in practically complete pos-session of Belgium and Luxemburg, together with a broad stripof northeastern France, filled with prosperous manufacturingtowns, farms and vineyards, and invaluable coal and iron mines. The lines established after the battle of the Mame and thecheck on the Yser did not change greatly in four years, inspite of the constant fighting and the sacrifice of hundredsof thousands of men on both sides. The Germans were-notable to push very much farther into France, and the Alliedforces were almost equally unsuccessful in their repeated at-tempts, at terrible sacrifice of life, to force the Germans morethan a few miles back. Both sides dug themselves in and. 749 750 Medieval and Modem Times The Russiansfail in Galiciaand losePoland andLithuania^1915 trench warfare went on almost incessantly, with the aid ofmachine guns, shells, and huge cannon. Airplanes flew hitherand thither, observing the enemys positions and operations anddropping bombs in his midst. Poisonous gases and liquid fire,introduced by Germany, added their horrors to the situation. On the Eastern Front the Russians at first advanced farmore rapidly than had been expected. They succeeded ininvading East Prussia but were soon driven out by Hindenburgand his army. They made their main attack on the Austriansin Galicia but were forced to withdraw, owing to the operationsof the German and Austrian armies in Poland. These had com-bined in a drive on Warsaw and thus threatened the Russianson the north. During the winter of 1915 the Russians mad
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Keywords: ., bookauthorrobinson, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookyear1919
