some parts of France even the fruit trees and grapevines, the product of
many years' growth and care, were systematically destroyed, and
everything which might make the land habitable disappeared.

THE WAR IN THE EAST.--As has already been explained, the German
military leaders had counted upon a rapid crushing of France by way of
Belgium before Russia should have time to complete her military
preparations for attacking eastern Germany. But during the time lost
through the unexpected resistance of Belgium huge Russian armies were
gathered together in Russian Poland for an invasion of Germany and
Austria-Hungary.

The western border of Russian Poland is less than two hundred miles from
Berlin. But Russia could not advance along this road without running
the risk of having the Germans from the north and the Austrians from the
south cut off her armies from their sources of supply in Russia. In
other words, Russia dared not advance on Berlin without first driving
the Germans out of East Prussia and the Austrians from Galicia. Hence
the plan of her campaign in 1914 was to invade these two provinces.

[Illustration: EASTERN FRONT Dec. 31, 1914]

BATTLE OF TANNENBERG.--Two Russian armies entered East Prussia in the
middle of August. At first they met with success. The nature of the
country, however, was against them, as there was a chain of almost
impassable lakes, marshes, and rivers stretching across their route. In
this difficult territory they were surprised by German reinforcements
which had been rushed to the east. In the battle of Tan´nenberg (August
26-31), the German troops under the command of General von Hindenburg
inflicted a crushing defeat upon the Russians, capturing 70,000 men and