Carpathian Front 1914

1914 Eastern Front - reserve

Austria had 48 divisions to face Russia's 50 divisions in north (A-Staffel) and Serbia's 11 divisions in south (B-Staffel), each side had 350,000. Both commanders made the wrong assumptions: Conrad assumed Russian strength was in the north side of Galicia near Lublin, and wanted to attack there before Russia fully mobilized. Gen. Nikolai Ivanov assumed main Austrian force was at Lemberg. Ivanov commanded Russian armies on Carpathian front in Galicia, planned offensive from his left northward toward Lemberg. Conrad planned offensive from his left toward Bug River. Result was a wheel-like series of battles with Austria attacking in the north and Russia attacking in the south.

Aug. 21 - Cavalry battle at Jaroslawice when Austria attacked Russian 10th division during solar eclipse.

Aug. 23 - Russian 4th army attacked into Austria at Krasnik south of Lublin, but Austrian 1st Army turned it back. The Russian 5th army attacked at Komarov, but was met by the Austrian 4th Army of Gen. Auffenberg who discovered a gap in the Russian right flank and brought up the Austrian 3rd army to turn the flank, and pushed the Russians westward.

Aug. 26 - Battle of Zamosc-Komarow when Auffenberg's 4th Army of solid Vienna regiments atttacked Russian 5th Army. Auffenberg won the battle of Zamosc-Komarow by Aug. 31 and took 20,000 Russian pows. But the Austrian 3rd Army of Dankl was defeated at Zlotchow and driven back to Lemberg by the Russian 3rd Army under Gen. Ruzski. Auffenberg turned his Austrian 4th Army to stop the Russians at Lemberg, but weakened his left flank that was being defeated by the growing strength of the Russian 5th Army. The events that followed the Battle of Zamosc-Komarow revealed the growing Russian strength and the "geographical insecuirty" of the Austrian position. - map

Aug. 30 - Austrian 3rd Army of Dankl advanced 30 miles into Poland to envelope Russian 5th Army, but Dankl was ordered to retreat after losing 40,000 casualties.

Aug. 31 - Russian attack broke Austrian line at Halicz, and Russian 8th Army of Brusilov joined Russian 3rd Army of Ruzski advanced on Lemberg.

Sep. 2 - Russian 4th and 9th Armies stopped Austrian attack on Lublin

Sep. 3 - Russians capture Lemberg

Sep. 5 - Russian 5th Army of Plehve defeated Austrian 4th Army at Tomashov.

Sep. 6 - Russian 8th Army of Brusilov advanced up Dneister River from south, defeated Austrian 2nd Army at Grodek.

Sep. 7 - Austrian 3rd Army of Dankl defeated at Tamarka, retreated to San River.

Sep. 8 - Austrian 4th Army of Auffenberg defeated in 2nd Battle of Lemberg.

Sep. 9 - Austrian armies fight to hold the line against growing attacks by Russian armies

Sep. 10 - Austrian 3rd Army of Dankl defeated at Krasnik. Russian 5th Army of Plehve defeated Austrian 4th Army of Auffenberg. Russian 8th Army of Brusilov sent Kaledin's cavalry divisions against Austrian 2nd Army flank.

Sep. 12 - Austrian retreated back across San River, Russians took Grodek

Sep. 14 - Russians crossed the San; Lechitski's 9th Army tool Sandomir on the Vistula

Sep. 15 - Russians took Czernowitz in Bukovina

Sep. 16 - German 9th Army created to defend Silesia, and Falkenhayn ordered German army to help Austrians

Sep. 21 - Plehve's 5th Army took Jaroslav on the San River

Sep. 24 - Przemysl siege began; Ivanov moved three armies to Poland to launch offensive on the Vistula. This offensive forced Conrad to retreat to Gorlice during the last week of Sept., leaving behind the fortress of Przemysl. Austria lost 400,000, Russians lost 250,000. Conrad needed Germany's help to survive.

Sep. 28 - German 9th Army began attack near Cracow to aid Austrian 1st Army of Dankl.

Oct. 3 - Battle of Lemberg - Russian armies drove Conrad and his Austrian armies back to Cracow

Oct. 4 - German offensive in southern Poland pushed Russians back to the Vistula and the San by Oct. 17

Oct. 9 - Austrians relieve siege of Przemysl, survived due to lack of Russian heavy artillery.

Oct. 10 - Germans advance toward Warsaw, take Lodz, began siege of Iavangorod; Mackensen defeated Russians at Grojec south of Warsaw and captured Russian war plan, learned of imminent massive attack from the Vistula.

Oct. 11 - First Battle of Warsaw began when Russian 4th and 5th and 9th Armies crossed Vistula against 4 corps of German 9th Army that almost were able to take Warsaw, but city save by Russian reinforcements by Oct. 17

Oct. 12 - Ludendorff ordered Mackensen to dig in near Warsaw; Hindenburg from his HQ at Radom near the front said "God be with us, I can do no more."

Oct. 13 - Brusilov's 3rd and 8th Armies began Battle of Chyrow against Austrians in the south

Oct. 18 - Ludendorff ordered retreat from Poland, marched 60 miles in next 6 days, destroyed countryside and bridges and roads

Oct. 23 - Russians took Jaroslav

Oct. 28 - Russians took Lodz and Radom

Oct. 30 - Brusilov's 8th Army took Stanislau in the south

Nov. 3 - Hindenburg planned another attack on Warsaw from the north, transferred German 9th Army by 800 trains

Nov. 5 - Austrian 1st Army retreated toward Cracow

Nov. 9 - Russian 14th Cavalry raided 20 miles into Silesia, cut railroad at Pleschen

Nov. 10 - Conrad moved Austrian 2nd Army that was retreating from San River to southern Silesia The Austria 2nd Army made a wide sweep from the River San in the south to face the Russians in Poland, while the German 9th army made a "switch" in direction, going back north to attack the right flank of the Russians Nov. 10.

Nov. 11 - German offensive from north Poland began with Mackensen defeat of Russian 1st Army, then he marched 25 miles by Nov. 14 to divide the Russian 1st and 2nd armies, advanced on Lodz

Nov. 15 - Brusilov began Russian invasion of Hungary toward Carpathian passes.

Nov. 18 - Battle of Lodz began by Mackensen's 9th Army surrounding the Russian 2nd Army at Lodz.

Nov. 19 - Plehve's 5th Army came to the rescue of the 2nd Army to prevent its envelopment.

Nov. 25 - German XXV Reserve Corps took 16,000 Russian pows as it broke out of the closing Russian line south of Lodz.

Dec. 6 - Russians retreated from Lodz to the Ravka River.

Dec. 7 - Second Battle of Warsaw began with German offensive; Brusilov sent reinforcements from the south.

Dec. 17 - Battle of Limanowa-Laponow saved Cracow from the Russians. Conrad pushed Russia back 40 miles, the last victory of the Austrian army that would now be under German command.

Dec. 28 - German offensive in Poland reached the Russian line at the Ravka River, but stopped.

Dec. 30 - Second Battle of Warsaw ended with German entrenchment on the Bruza River.

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