The Battle of Tannenburg August 22 – September 2 1914 Russian Empire vs. German Empire

The Battle 8/22 Day 1 Russian forces were mobilized quickly by use of railways (the gauges on the trains were unique to Russia allowing them to only advance to German border) Russian’s to German forces ratio 16 to 9 German could not cover the whole advancing Russian line Samsonov was in a position to surround the German army The Russian forces managed to push back the Germans/retreated to Orlau-Frankenau for night Fighting died down/Germans fortified positions

8/24 Day 3 The Russian advance halted at Orlau-Frankenau Germans retreated again to avoid being surrounded Samsonov tries to cut off German army and surround them by ordering troop movements NW (intercepted by Germans)

8/26 Day 4 Until now the First Russian Army had marched towards Königsberg uninhibited The dispatched troops from the Russian Second Army then faced south and turned back to try and close the gap between the two armies The First army had orders to maintain their advancing course Westward (intercepted by Germans) The dispatched troops engaged German near Seeburg and Bischofstein, but were turned back The Second Russian Army’s right flank was exposed to the Germans The First Russian Army’s advance towards Tannenburg was being slowed by the Germans Russian’s managed a victory in Allenstein after a small division marched in unopposed

8/27 Day 5 Germans mounted another offensive on the Russian left flank By night time the Russians were retreating Samsonov ordered the troops in Allenstein to move SW to aid in the siege on Tannenberg By the time the soldiers moved into position the entirety of the Russian Second Army was in the general area of Tannenberg

8/28 Day 6 By the evening on the sixth day both the Russian left and right flanks were retreating Center troops were still present but were suffering severe supply issues (couldn’t remain offensive) Samsonov decided to move his entire army SE to the border and try to regroup He also asked Rennenkampf to ignore his objective and move SW to help

8/29 Day 8 While the Second Russian Army retreated the German armies moved into their path of retreat Center retreating forces encountered them and realized the situation Intense German artillery pounded Russian forces Russian First Army was incapable of coming to aid the Second Army due to German Cavalry

8/30 The Final Day The Russian Second Army was completley destroyed 95,000 captured 30,000 killed or wounded 10,000 escaped Samsonov committed suicide on the 29, August Germans Eighth Army - 5,000 dead 7,ooo wounded