Austro-Hungarian soldier in a trench reinforced with fascines on the Eastern Front, 1915...WORLD WAR l
Austro-Hungarian soldier in a trench reinforced with fascines on the Eastern Front, 1915...WORLD WAR l Today 108 years ago, on August 26, 1915, the Austro-Hungarian Army launched their Black-Yellow Offensive (Referring to the colours of Austria), also known as 'Herbstsau' (Autumn swinery). Following the successful Austro-German Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive in May 1915, the Germans continued pushing back the Russians on the northern sector of the Eastern Front throughout the summer. Austro-Hungarian Chief-of-Staff von Hötzendorf feared the Germans were gaining too much influence and wanted to demonstrate that Austria-Hungary was their equal or, favourably, superior. He planned a grand offensive to recapture the last bit of Austro-Hungarian territory held by the Russians in Galicia. The A-H 1st Army would attack in the north towards Lutsk and Rovno, while the 2nd Army would attack further south, and together they would form a pincer movement and encircle the Russian 8th Army. In sup...