The situation may best be summed up by saying that
the Russians are likely to go on retreating, indifferent whether the retreat is, as now, on Russian soil or in Galicia, until they feel they have drawn the enemy on far enough to be in danger, or till their own strength has been increased. Then, as so often in their history and so often in the present war, they will turn upon the Germans and smite them. Since Russia has had unfortunately to abandon her offensive, it may be said that the further she can induce the Germans to follow her armies into Russia, the better it will be for the cause of the Allies in the end, and the less likelihood there will be of the German troops being able to disengage themselves, or of their ever returning home again. Nothing would suit the
Russians better, from the military point of view, than to see the Germans push on to Kiev, or, better still, to Smolensk. We need not, however, discuss military hypotheses of this description. The Germans will stop following the Russians long before they get anywhere near the places just named. The problem of the Germans, indeed, is how far they dare follow the wounded bear.
Previous page
