Eastern Front 1914

1914 Eastern Front - reserve

1914 July 29 - 2 Austrian riverboats bombarded Belgrade, and Serbian guns returned fire from Topcider heights

Aug. 1 - Russian Plan No. 19 was a prompt attack on East Prussia to save France, meant abandoning fortresses on the frontiers and instead building up the field army. Chief of Staff Sukhomlinov was an old guard praetorian conservative who sought army reforms for more artillery and a modern navy, opposed old fortresses as obsolete, created 35 reserve divisions for the 75 first line divisions, opposed by Grand Duke Nicholas's General HQ, the Stavka who favored traditional cavalry and traditional fortresses. The Stavka was able to keep the fortresses, and only 2 of the 4 armies was put in the field in East Prussia, as a result Russia would be defeated early in the war. The 2 armies under Rennenkampf and Samsonov were large but unprepared for high rate of shells required by rapid firing weapons (infantry rifles fired 15 rounds per min.; French 75 fired 15 shells per min.), for high casualties that required more field hospitals and wagons and trains, for the vast distances that required special reconnaisance. Both Russians and Germans had cavalry, but the internal combustion engine was too new to completely replace the horse. Germans had only 83 trucks and most broke down in the Ardennes. The Russian 2nd army had only 10 autos and 4 motorcycles and 42 aeroplanes, and most had mechanical problems. By 1914, Russia had raised a standing army of 2 million, 3 times the size of German army, and had built 8358 field guns, and had greatly improved the railroads. Russia mobilized with 360 trains per day, up from only 250 in 1910. "War by timetable" put great emphasis on schedules; one Russian colonel ordered 200 watches for his regiment, from the American Waltham Watch Co. that had made a profit selling low-cost pocket watches to Union soldiers in the Civil War, but in 1914 most Russians did not have a watch. Russian army not aristocratic like German, but had many low and middle class officers, were paid less than half what German officers were paid. Czar had appointed Grand Duke Nicholas to be commander in chief, and the Duke appointed Danilov as Quartermaster General of the Stavka to direct military operations. The Stavka was confident of a quick victory, Russian officers agreed no drink and no women until victory, because all thought it would be a short six-week war. Aug. 2 - Russian patrols fired on German advance pickets near Schwidden in preparation for Russian 2nd Army invasion of East Prussia.

Aug. 3 - Germany invaded Poland western frontier, occuped Kalish, Chenstokhov, Bendzin.

Aug. 5 - Russian cavalry skirmished with German cavalry at Soldau in East Prussia. Russia had 9 cavalry divisions in each army, trained to operate like Confederate JEB Stuart in American Civil War who was much admired Sukhomlinov but moved too slow.

Aug. 6 - Russia formed new 9th and 10th Army near Warsaw.

Aug. 10 - Grand Duke Nicholas ordered Rennenkampf's 1st Army and Samsonov's 2nd Army to invade East Prussia. Each army had 230,000 to face the German 8th Army under Gen Max von Prittwitz, with 225,000 men

Aug. 10 - Austrian 1st Army invaded Galicia.

Aug. 12 - Austria invaded Serbia across Rivers Saba and Drina. Battle of the Jadar on Aug. 16. Battle of the Cer Aug. 20 won by Serbia, the first major Allied victory of the war. Austrian army retreated back across the Saba and Drina.

Aug. 14 - Rennenkampf's 1st Army invaded East Prussia on 35-mile front north of the Masurian Lakes. In case of a large Russian attack, Prittwitz was supposed to retreat to the Vistula River, across 4 zones of defense in East Prussia, from Labiau behind the Deime River south to Tapiau, from Tapiau behind the Angerapp River down the Insterburg Gap south to Angerburg, from Angerburg behind the Masurian Lakes south to Johannesburg, from Johannesburg west behind dense woods to Soldau.

Aug. 17 - In violation of Prittwitz's order to retreat to Gumbinnen, German I Corps of Gen. von Francois with help from Gen. von Falk turned and won a victory over 3 Russian divisions at Stalluponen, taking 3000 Russian pows, then Francois fell back to Gumbinnen. Aug. 19 - Samsonov's 2nd Army approached East Prussia south of the Masurian Lakes.

Aug. 20 - Battle of Gumbinnen began when Rennenkampf's 1st Army attacked German XVII Corps of Gen. von Mackensen in the center, and won a victory, but German I Corps of von Francois on the left flank stopped Smirnov, and von Below on the right flank stopped Aliyev. Fortunately for the Germans, Rennenkampf's 1st Army paused to regroup, giving the Germans time to withdraw. Russia had suffered many casualties, and were low on ammo. Prittwitz learned from open radio intercepts that the Russian 2nd Army was advancing in the south, and he decided to continue his retreat to the Vistula. However, 2 days later Kaiser Wilhelm replaced Prittwitz with Hindenburg, and chief of staff Ludendorff.

Aug. 21 - Samsonov's 2nd Army crossed border into East Prussia south of the Masurina Lakes, and advance patrols entered Neidenburg and Ortelsburg and Jedwabno. The German army was unsure of Samsonov's location during the change of command from Prittwitz to Hindenburg and Ludendorff Aug. 21-23

Aug 22 - 1st fighting took place at Neidenburg when cyclist Burshcher von Weissenstein ran into Russian patrol, and the German cyclists, who were volunteers for recon duty using bicycles rather than cavalry, fired on the Russians who were eating lunch in the town, and captured a map that showed Russian position, then finished the Russians' lunch. Russia then shelled the town, destroying half of the 470 buildings, then occupied and looted the town.

Aug. 23 - Samsonov thought the Germans were retreating, and ordered his 2nd Army to advance. Samsonov's 2nd Army should not have advanced so quickly. Its problems were many: running out of supplies because heavy wagons broke down; lack of aircraft for reconaissance; used radio in the clear; spread its 5 corps apart on a broad front. Ludendorff learned of Samsonov's advance and Rennenkampf's pause from wireless intercepts, airplane and cavalry reports, and the reconnaissance patrols of cyclists such as von Weissenstein. He moved his HQ south to Lobau to attack Samsonov.

Aug. 24 - Mackensen's XVII Corps turned south. The fact that Rennenkampf's 1st Army had stopped gave Ludendorff the opportunity to move army south to fight Samsonov's 2nd Army that was moving west. Only the German 1st Cavalry Divison remained to face Russian 1st Army in the north.

Aug. 26 - Battle of Tannenberg began when Francois attacked Samsonov's left flank with part of his I Corps, and pushed back the Russians at Seeben as more of his troops arrived by train and entered the battle during the day. Mackensen and his XVII Corps attacked the Russian VI Corps on the Russian right flank and defeated it, driving some of the units into the swamps of Masuria below Bischofsburg. Ludendorff learned a gap had opened between Russian center and left flank and ordered Scholtz to attack with 41st Div of XX Corps.

Aug. 26 at 9pm - Ludendorf ordered Francois to take Usdau in the south, reinforced by Scholtz. While the 3rd Reserve Division held the center, the pincers would close from north and south enveloping the 2nd Army between Francois's I Corps and Mackensen's XVII Corps. later that night, Ludendorff learned that Moltke was sending 2 Corps from the Western Front, due to the surprising strength Russian showed at Gumbinnen, but Ludendorf said he didn't need them, yet Moltke persisted.

Aug. 27 at 4am - On this 2nd day of the battle, Francois renewed the German attack on the Russian left. By 11 am, took Usdau, and Scholtz took Muhlen. On the Russian right, the 2 cavalry regments of Mackensen, the 5th Hussars and 4th Mounted Rifles, using horses and bikes and trucks commandeered from civilians, were chasing the Russian XV Corps of Martos who was retreating southward. Ludendorff was afraid the Russians were moving south to take the railroad center at Allenstein, so he ordered Mackensen to attack both Ortelsburg and Allenstein. Samsonov ordered his army to attack in the center, against what he thought was the German strength on his left at Usdau, and not to attack Allenstein in the north. This was one of the bad decisions that caused Samsonov to lose the Battle of Tannenberg. Another bad decesion made this day was made at 7:15 am, when he left his command post at Neidenburg and drove to the front to direct the attack on the center, but he lost touch with his armies, closed his signal station at Neidenburg, broke the pattern of communication.

Aug. 27 at 6 pm - Scholtz and XX Corps were at Muhlen, but the 41st Div was stopped south of Lake Muhlen; the Germans then turned to join Unger to stop the Russian XV Corps coming down from the north; in south, Francois advanced and took Neidenburg.

Aug 28 - On this 3rd day of the battle, Russian 2nd Army was being encircled by the Germans. In the north, Rennenkampf's 1st Army had moved slowly, only 50 miles westward, its cavalry preferred to dismount rather than gallop ahead. He had been ordered by Zhilinski to besiege Konigsberg, and on Aug 27 had been ordered to send his left flank to help Samsonov in the south.

Aug 29 - German pincers of Francois and Mackensen met at Willenburg. The number of Russian pows began to grow, from 10,000 that night.

Aug 30 - "Day of Harvesting" Russian prisoners; most of Russian XV Corps of Martos surrendered; Samsonov killed himself.

Aug 31 - remnants of 2nd Army rounded up, Kluyev surrendered XIII Corps, 60,000 pows taken. The myth of Tannenberg as brilliant strategic maneuver that crushed the Russians was perpetuated by the Germans. In fact, it was a victory of defense over an enemy who blundered and lacked communication between 2 armies. Russia would recover in a few weeks and invade East Prussia again.

Sep. 5 - The battle of the Masurian Lakes began with German attack on Rennenkampf's Army. This battle would be a more accurate model of war on the eastern front than Tannenberg. Francois's cavalry attack failed, the German frontal attacks in the north failed, and when Rennenkampf saw his left flank break, he retreated and formed a tight semicircle, and by Sept. 13 the Russian army had withdrawn to safety. On Sept 25, the two Russian armies joined in a counteroffensive that drove back the Germans back across the frontier to the Angerapp lines, captured 30,000 German pows, but had lost 100,000 and the Masurian Lakes was a stalemate. This was the pattern of many battles on the western and eastern fronts.

Sep. 14 - new German HQ estab at Insterburg. Ludendorff learned of Austrian disaster at Lemberg. The German 8th Army was renamed the 9th Army and moved to Silesia to support Austria.

Oct. 1 - Battle of Augustovo by Russian 10th Army drove Germans back until German counterattck Oct. 8-14

Oct. 15 - First Battle of Warsaw began with German attack from the Vistula, but Russians save the city, counterattck drove Germans out of Poland.

Nov. 2 - Russian 10th Army invades East Prussia; Otto Below took command of the German 8th Army, defeated Russians at Soldau Nov. 18

Nov. 11 - Second Battle of Warsaw began with Mackensen attack, took Lodz by Dec. 6, but Russians made stand 30 miles southwest of Warsaw.

Dec. 1 - Russian troops get first barbed wire.

1915 Feb. 7, German 8th Army launched offensive in East Prussia, but failed due to winter weather and Germany withdrew early March.

1915 March - Bernard Pares was sent by the Russian Foreign Office to observe eastern front, traveled by bicycle, sent back reports that later were published, but discounted by the Foreign Office because he was a liberal, called the battles on the eastern front in 1915, "a war of men against metal." Russian ran out of shells because had believed in a short war, did not build factories that would produced munitions. French said "artillery conquers, infantry occupies. " In 1915 German shell production was 4m per month (75% went to western front); Russian production rose in 1915 from 450,000 to 1m per month. Russians tended to stockpile shells in fortresses such as Novogeorgievsk and Kovno where Germans captured 3000 guns and 2m shells. Russian War Council sought to save money, did not fill requests from the army for more shells. Starting in 1915, War Council began to place large orders from munitions from America, and from the British Vickers company, and Vickers set up an Anglo-Russian comany, RAOAZ, to make guns in Tsaritsyn, but all this would take time and only 10% of American munitions reached Russia in 1915. The Trans-Siberian RR from Valdivoskok could only send 280 railroad waggons per day. The Archangel port was closed 5 months every winter. A railroad to the port of Murmansk was partly open in 1917, but would not be finished until 1923. American suppliers of boots mailed them to Russia, 3 boots per parcel. More impt than the shell shortage was the crisis of authority in the Russian Army, the lack of officers (60,000 casualties by July 1915 wiped out the officer corps of 1914) and the lack of NCOs (2 per company when Germany had 12 per company), the growth of revolutionary behavior among the soldiers.

1915 Apr - Ludendorff launched offensive in the Baltic Courland by the Niemen Army, north of Kovno to divert Russian forces from Galicia. The Russians in the center were in the Polish slaient around Warsaw, and threatened to be trapped by the attacks in the north and south. But Stavka decided to hold the foretresses of Dvinsk, Kovno, Grodno, Osowiec in the north, and Novogeorgievsk and Ivangorod in the center, the six holding 3148 modern high-trajectory guns and 880 modern cannon

1915 June - Sukhomlinov was dismissed, and economic reforms began, with local War Industry Committees and an opening up of the Special Council to private enterprise, contracts with large firms and monopolies, the country divided into 11 regions, new machinery and factories built

1915 July - Falkenhayn launched double offensive in the north at the Narev under Gallwitz and in the south in Galicia under Mackensen to envelop Poland , while keeping the third offensive in Courland attacking. Gallwitz breakthrough on the Narev began 8-week campaign in the north ending with the fall of Villna Sept. 18. Mackensen in late July would break through at Cholm and Lublin in the center.

1915 Aug. 4 - The Germans entered Warsaw.

1915 Aug. 19 - Russians wanted to hold Novogeorgievsk, "the symbol of Russian rule in Poland" but whereas Przemysl had been defended by mud, big guns unable to move, the Polish fortress could be hit by guns, The Germans captured the fort's chief engineer with his maps, and the fort surrendered Aug. 19 with its 1600 guns and 1m shells.

1915 Aug. 26 - Mackensen took Brest-Litovsk, and Gallwitz took Osowiec. Russian scorched earth policy only partial, against Jewish lands, but non-Jewish Polish noble families paid the retreating Russians to leave their estates alone.

1915 Aug. 17 - Germans took Kovno, and the Czar dismissed the generals of the Stavka and assumed command of the armies himself.

1915 Sept. 18 - Germans took Vilna, but the German offensive came to and end in the harsh terrain of eastern Poland, the Russian army had successfully retreated and was intact. Russia since May lost 2m soldiers, incl 1m pows. The AH army strength had fallen from 500,000 to 200,000. Brusilov counterattacked from the marshes south of Brest-Litovsk and took Rovno. But fighting ended for the winter, Russia reorganized, Germany and AH shifted efforts to Serbia.

1916 Mar 18 - Battle of Lake Narotch was the last failed effort of the old Russian Army that had been defeated by the Germans the previous year. Gen. Evert with the central force of 300,000 attacked German 10th army with 50,000 east of Vilna, but bad weather, thaws and freezes, too cold for gas, ineffective bombardment of Gen. Pleshkov. The attack was stopped by German guns on three sides of the Russian salient and Russia lost 100,000. German airplanes had spotted Russian infantry moving west, and Germans were able to position reserves at the correct locations. "Lake Narotch was, despite appearances, one of the decisive battles of the First World War. It condemned most of the Russian army to passivity."

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