A Russian advance across a pontoon bridge is stopped by an artillery bombardment. A postcard from a painting by K. Flechine, a student of the State School of Applied Arts, Hamburg.
K. FlechineReverse:Deutsche Kriegsausstellung Hamburgzugunsten des Hamburgischen Landesvereins vom Roten Kreuz.Kriegsbilder, gezeichnet von Schulkindern in der Staatlichen Kunstgewerbeschule, Hamburg.Hamburger Opfertag 1916 für Heer und MarineHartung & Co., HamburgGerman war exhibition HamburgFor the benefit of the Hamburg National Association of the Red Cross.Images of war, drawn by school children in the State School of Applied Arts, Hamburg.Hamburger victims day, 1916, for the Army and NavyHartung & Co., Hamburg
"The Russian bombardment continued for most of 4th June [1916]. The next day, infantry attack followed—preceded by 'testing' patrols. In practice, the Austro-Hungarian defence had already been ruined. Two-thirds of the available troops were put in the front position—the three foremost trenches, in a belt perhaps a kilometre in depth. There were huge dug-outs in this belt that could sustain the heaviest artillery. But two great errors had been made: the Russian lines had been allowed to within seventy-five paces of the Austrian trenches, and the reserves did not emerge from their dug-outs until the last moment. Not surprisingly, the defenders of the second trench and the reserves in their dug-outs, and the Russians—pumping reserves in fast from their own dug-outs only a few hundred yards away—came up to the dug-out mouths only shortly after the bombardment had ended. The Austrian dug-outs were therefore traps, not strong-points: each a miniature Przemyśl."
Russian General Alexsei Brusilov prepared for his great Offensive in ways other Russian generals had not. In 1916 Russian industry had risen to the production levels demanded by the war, and had adequate shells, cannons, rifles, and ammunition for its artillery and infantry. In the month before the attack, the Russians had extended saps (trenches) to within seventy-five paces of the Austro-Hungarian front trenches, and had dug shelters for reinforcements. Rather than a long bombardment preparing the way for troops concentrated on a short front to achieve a break-through at a single point, Brusilov began with a short bombardment, and followed with four points of attack on a broad, 20-mile front. Aware of the Russian preparations, the complacent Austro-Hungarians did little to counter them. By the end of June 5th, the Russians had broken through, the Austro-Hungarian troops fleeing before them. Przemyśl, on the San River, Austria-Hungary's greatest fortress in Galicia, had been taken by the Russians in March, 1915 and held for three months.
The Eastern Front, 1914-1917 by Norman Stone, page 249, copyright © 1975 Norman Stone, publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons, publication date: 1975
1916-06-05, 1916, June, Brusilov, Alexsei Brusilov, Brusilov Offensive
