Finally, where the Germans were forced to retire from the lands they had occupied in northern France and in Belgium, they sought to reduce much of the evacuated territory to a desert condition.  Not only were bridges and roads destroyed, but houses, factories, and churches were leveled to the ground, and the foundation walls and cellars were obliterated.  In 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 large quantities of supplies.  Hindenburg followed up his success, and the Russians were completely expelled from East Prussia.

THE RUSSIANS OVERRUN GALICIA.—­The second part of the Russian plan, the invasion of Galicia, was more successful.  In September the important city of Lemberg was taken, and the fortress of Przemysl (pshem’ishl) was besieged.  By December almost the whole province was in Russian hands.  South of Galicia, separating it from Hungary, are the Carpathian Mountains.  Russian troops penetrated the passes of this mountain wall and conducted a series of successful raids upon the plains of northern Hungary.