In august 1914, the german eighth army clashed with the russian second army near allenstein, east prussia, in the battle of tannenberg. Battle of tannenberg, august 2630, 1914, world war i battle fought at tannenberg, in what is now northeastern poland, that ended in a german victory over the russians. The tannenberg myth in history and literature, 19141945 taylor. Reichsehrenmal tannenberg was a monument to the german soldiers of the battle of tannenberg 1914, the first battle of the masurian lakes and the medieval battle of tannenberg 1410. Aug 20, 2014 the tannenberg battlefield is not easy to interpret. Aug 24, 2014 tannenberg 1914 film z inscenizacji szkotowo 2014 zdjecia i montaz. For the attack on 29 july, govorov concentrated all of the capable soviet units, consisting of 11 divisions and six tank regiments.
Battles the battle of tannenberg, 1914 first world. There is no complete overview of the order of the soviet forces or the detachment sizes in the battle of tannenberg line. The battle of tannenberg august 2730, 1914 opened world war i with a decisive german victory over russiaindeed the kaisers only clear. The tannenberg battlefield is not easy to interpret. At the start of hostilities the russians invade the german province of east prussia.
From 26 august to september 1914, which covers the initial encounters prior to tannenberg as well as the battle of the masurian lakes a week after, the russians lost 250,000 men killed, wounded, and taken prisoner, along with vast quantities of armaments and supplies that could not easily be replaced. The battle raged over the last week of august 1914, culminating in germanys victory on aug. Jul 03, 2018 the great war week by week 100 years later s2 e8 hindenburgs cunning plan a 2nd tannenberg i the great war week 30 duration. In a conflict characterized by inconclusive trench warfare, tannenberg was a decisive battle of mobility, one that shaped the course of the entire war on the eastern front. The nafziger collection of orders of battle world war one. More importantly for the germans, it was one of the few battles of the war that did not also drain the victor of manpower through the loss of major casualties. The battle of tannenberg 1914 the tannenberg battlefield is not easy to interpret. Tannenberg 1914 consists of a historical prologue on the battle of tannenberg in 1410, five chapters on the campaign itself, an epilogue, a campaign chronology, an order of battle, a section on organization and weaponry, bibliography and notes. Tannenberg 1914 by john sweetman is a well written book describing one of the key battles of the first world war. The crushing defeat occurred barely a month into the conflict, but it became emblematic of the russian empires experience in world war i. It was a resounding victory for the german army and proved that they could defeat larger armies through superior tactics and training. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
It was the germans armys greatest success of the war. Even thought francois ignored ludendorffs order, this action would later define the success for the germans at tannenberg. Buy tannenberg 1914 fields of battle series 1st edition by sweetman, dr john isbn. This is the order of battle for both the russian and german armies at the battle of tannenberg. In this first paperback edition of the classic work, historian dennis. The alliance of the crown of the kingdom of poland and the grand duchy of lithuania, led respectively by king wladyslaw ii jagiello jogaila and grand duke vytautas, decisively defeated the germanprussian teutonic knights, led by grand. The battle of tannenberg is still taught at war colleges around the world, and for good. Large numbers of men were involved, but the distances were huge. This is the order of battle for both the russian and german armies at the battle of tannenberg, august 17 to september 2, 1914. Dec 21, 2017 the battle of tannenberg 2630 august 1914, in which general aleksandr samsonovs 2 nd russian narevskaia army was surrounded and completely annihilated, was one of the largest battles on the eastern front in world war i. It began with the authors interest in napoleonic wars, and steadily grew to other areas because of the gaming publics interest in these highly detailed historical orders of battle. The battle of tannenberg august 2730, 1914 opened world war i with a. It covers a vast area and most of the monuments, markers and cemeteries have been lost in the years that have intervened.
Order of battle at tannenberg 1914 military wiki fandom. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. The modern battle took place nearly 20 miles from the original battle of tannenberg 1410, but would share the original title as a way to avenge the teutonic defeat from centuries before. John sweetmans tannenberg 1914 totally outclasses showalters book and is now the best available account of this campaign. For one, the german 8th army defending east prussia was commanded by general prittwitz. However, his lack of maps to go with the minute details of russian and german army moves was a real drawback. The battle resulted in the almost complete destruction of the russian second army and the suicide of its commanding general, alexander samsonov. A series of followup battles first masurian lakes destroyed most of the. He took lead of the war of the battle of tannenberg. The battle of tannenberg was in august 1914 a decisive engagement between the. Very good synopsis of the battles in east prussia 1914. Clash of empires, 1914 cornerstones of military history by dennis e. Oct 01, 2002 john sweetmans tannenberg 1914 totally outclasses showalters book and is now the best available account of this campaign. The battle of grunwald, battle of zalgiris or first battle of tannenberg was fought on 15 july 1410 during the polishlithuanianteutonic war.
The battle of tannenberg was fought between russia and germany between 26 and 30 august 1914, the first month of world war i. It told us that rennenkampfs army was to pass the masurian lakes on the north and advance against the insterburgangerburg line. The battle of tannenberg was one of the first major battles of world war i. An outnumbered german army defeated two russian armies in the early wwi battle of tannenberg. Posts about battle of tannenberg written by iain king.
Military historian showalter railroads and rifles, archon, 1975 provides a leisurely, welldetailed, and extremely perceptive analysis of the epic battle between germany and russia that. Book description potomac books inc, united states, 2004. Reichsehrenmaltannenberg was a monument to the german soldiers of the battle of tannenberg 1914, the first battle of the masurian lakes and the medieval battle of tannenberg 1410. Dec 25, 2016 the fighting on the eastern front was very different from the west. Lemberg, przemysl played a part but nothing like t. Buy tannenberg 1914 fields of battle series 1st edition by dr john sweetman isbn. The commander sends a letter to his emperor and king saying that in the th, 15th, and 18th, the army corps have been destroyed.
The battle acquired a significance that was not so much strategic as symbolic, and became an integral part of both. During the battle of tannenberg ww1 were there trenches. The image of tannenberg, however, long remained in the german consciousness. Arnold zweigs novel erziehung vor verdun and the vietnam. The battle of tannenberg august 2730, 1914 opened world war i with a decisive german victory over russiaindeed the kaisers only clearcut victory in a. The defeat was a great blow to the military might and prestige of the order, which lost its impetus as a crusading force. The battle of tannenberg was fought august 2331, 1914, during world war i 19141918. The crushing defeat occurred barely a month into the conflict, but it became emblematic of the russian empires experience in. However with some help we covered some of the central ground covered by the russian 2nd army and the german 8th army during the fighting of the 26th to 29th august 1914. Tannenberg gets 3 stars for a book that alternated between incredibly detailed and boring account of diplomatic maneuvers to insightful and memorable vignettes from the initial defeat at gumbinnen to the victory at tannenberg. Tannenberg 1914 film z inscenizacji szkotowo 2014 zdjecia i montaz. Battle of vedun german order of battle axis history forum. It focuses on the battle of tannenberg between germany and russia in 1914, the first major engagement on the eastern front of world war i. The battle ended with the almost complete destruction of the russian second army.
In the opening battle in german east africa tanzania during world war i, an amphibious landing at tanga ended in total fiasco for the british. Looking in schlachten des weltkrieges, band 19, tannenberg, the book has a 5 12 page order of battle, and also an index listing units, and rir 101 is not mentioned. However with some help we covered some of the central ground covered by the russian 2nd army and the german 8th army during the fighting of. Tannenberg, battle of by oxana sergeevna nagornaya the battle of tannenberg 2630 august 1914, in which general aleksandr samsonovs 2nd russian narevskaia army was surrounded and completely annihilated, was one of the largest battles on the eastern front. The battle of tannenberg was a decisive engagement between the russian empire and the german empire in the first days of world war i. One of the few battles of maneuver from a conflict best known for static trench warfare, tannenberg saw german forces in the east effectively destroy general alexander samsonovs russian second army. Tannenberg is unique among the battles of the first world war. Failure to secure the harbor as a base for future operations ended hopes that the german colony would be occupied quickly. The great war week by week 100 years later s2 e8 hindenburgs cunning plan a 2nd tannenberg i the great war week 30 duration. Even though the battle was insignificant in numbers of forces engaged compared to other battles fought during ww i.
It was fought by the russian first and second armies and the german eighth army between 17 august and 2 september 1914. Battle of tannenberg 1914 simple english wikipedia, the. Sir alfred knox, british military attache attached to 2nd army ii corps transferred from the second army, 22 august general sergei scheidemann. Ludendorff issued an order to general francois to initiate the attack on. Russia would never again invade germany during the war.
Battle of tannenberg tannenberg battlefield the complete. Tannenberg, battle of by oxana sergeevna nagornaya the battle of tannenberg 2630 august 1914, in which general aleksandr samsonovs 2nd russian narevskaia army was surrounded and completely annihilated, was one of the largest battles on the eastern front in world war i. Hindenburg commander of german forces the war in august 1914. In 1914 russia and france had entered into an alliance which compelled russia to launch offensive military operations soon after germany began the war in the west. The battle of tannenberg in late august 1914 has been described as. The nafziger collection of orders of battle the nafziger collection contains orders of battle from 1600 to 1945 with over 7000 individual pdf files. General yakov zhilinsky, front commander not present maj. The battle of tannenberg august 2730, 1914 opened world war i. August 1914 is a 1971 historical fiction novel by aleksandr solzhenitsyn. These lists should be complete, so i dont think rir 101 was there. Tannenberg 1914 consists of a historical prologue on the battle of tannenberg in 1410, five chapters on the campaign itself, an epilogue, a campaign chronology, an order of battle, a section on organization and weaponry.
Ad hoc trenching was done, and fortified strong points e. First world battles the battle of tannenberg, 1914 in his book, showalter provides some excellent insights into a few controversies about the battle. The battle of tannenberg august 2730, 1914 opened world war i with a decisive german victory over russiaindeed the kaiser s only clearcut victory in a nonattritional battle during four years of war. However, that does not necessarily mean that your grandfather was not there. Hindenburgs remaining two corps, under mackensen and below, were to await orders to move south by foot so as to. It is a book that has been hard to track down this out of print book, even used ones. Battle of tanga, also known as the battle of the bees, 25 november 1914. German army at the battle of tannenberg, 2631 august 1914. Order of battle at tannenberg 1914 this is the order of battle for both the russian and german armies at the battle of tannenberg, august 17 to september 2, 1914.
The battle of tannenburg, 1914, is a boardgame covering the battle of tannenberg and the masurian lakes in august 1914 between germany and russia. Olsztyn, poland 1914 ad the battle of tannenberg was one of the few truly great german victories of the first world war. In disregard to the warnings of a massive german advance moving to the south, the russian army chief of staff zhilinksi ordered rennenkampf and his troops to the west to konigsberg on august 26 which was a considerable. The fighting on the eastern front was very different from the west. The battle of tannenberg august 2730, 1914 opened world war i with a decisive german victory over russiaindeed the kaisers only clearcut victory in a nonattritional battle during four years of war. Jun 01, 2002 tannenberg is unique among the battles of the first world war. Aug 28, 20 an outnumbered german army defeated two russian armies in the early wwi battle of tannenberg.