The Allied battle plan prior to the war had been based on France and the United Kingdom halting the German armies in the West while the huge Russian armies could be organized and brought to the Eastern front. 5 The main battle (26 August to 30 August).4 Early phases of battle (23 August to 26 August).
As pointed out by the Australian historian Christopher Clark, the actual Tannenberg is some 30 km (19 mi) to the west, and there was no intrinsic reason-other than the historical battle and its emotive resonance in the narrative of German and Slavic nationalism-to give its name to the 1914 battle. The battle is notable particularly for a number of rapid movements of complete German corps by train, allowing a single German army to concentrate its forces against each Russian army in turn.Īlthough the battle actually took place close to Allenstein (Olsztyn), General Erich Ludendorff's aide, Colonel Max Hoffmann, suggested naming it after Tannenberg, in the interest of Pan-German ideology, to counter the defeat of the Teutonic Knights at the Battle of Grunwald (Tannenberg) in 1410 by the Poles, Lithuanians and Tatars.
#Battle of tannenberg significance series#
A series of follow-up battles destroyed the majority of the First Army as well, and kept the Russians off-balance until the spring of 1915. The battle resulted in the almost complete destruction of the Russian Second Army. It was fought by the Russian Second Army against the German Eighth Army between 26 August and 30 August 1914. The Battle of Tannenberg was an engagement between the Russian and the German Empires in the first days of World War I. Shows Wilhelm II and " Hindenburg the winner of Tannenberg". And the gesture of sending help to the east hurt the war effort in the west, possibly costing Germany a quick victory, and resulting in a stalemated trench war.Vivat ribbon commemorating Battle of Tannenberg. Ironically, in 1914 the German Empire did send help, but by the time that this help arrived it was no longer needed. However, in 1914, superb strategy and modern railroads won the battle against overwhelming odds. In 1410 the Teutonic Knights were also greatly outnumbered and the German Empire was busy with battles in the west, unable to provide needed support. The Tannenberg victory not only turned the Eastern Front in Germany’s favor, but it also was significant because the defeat of the Russians (consisting of Lithuanians, Poles, Tartars and Russians) was a reversal of the Teutonic Knights’ defeat in 1410 at the same location.
War on the Eastern Front continued to be fought, but now on German terms and on Russian soil in a traditional war… no trenches… until the collapse of the Russian government and German victory in 1917. With victory over the first Russian army secured, the German troops were transported to the other battle, again by rapid railroad transport, and a second disaster befell the Russians…in 7 days two previously victorious Russian armies were destroyed. Meanwhile, a small force of local East Prussian militia held off the entire second Russian army, buying time until the regular army could relieve them. Its commander, Samsanov, committed suicide while his few survivors were being routed. With skill, valor and strategy the Germans completely destroyed the Russian army. German troops were moved on railroad cars to carry out fast maneuvers. In a daring move, almost the entire German force was gathered together and sent to crush the first of the two Russian armies in East Prussia. Upon arrival in East Prussia, they went to work immediately. Whereas Ludendorff was rash, Hindenburg was calm and provided the gravitas to allow Ludendorff’s plans to be executed. Ludendorff was already famous for his success in Belgium and recognized as a genius strategist and workaholic. At the train station in Hanover he joined his new deputy, Erich von Ludendorff, and they sped off to the east. Paul von Hindenburg, 66, a retired Prussian General, was called into service to take over command of the relatively small force, one army, that was having trouble holding back the Russian invasion of East Prussia. The Heroes of Tannenberg, Hindenburg and Ludendorff, saved East Prussia in August 1914 with a decisive victory against overwhelming odds.
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