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WarChron - Austro-German Breakthrough |
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The Year 1915
In the Atlantic Ocean, German submarine U.20 sank the liner Lusitania off the southwest coast of Ireland, with over 1,100 being drowned, including over 100 Americans. On the 13th, the United States informed Berlin that the sinking was a violation of American rights, and demanded immediate steps to prevent a recurrence.
On 8 May, in the Baltic, German destroyer V.107 was heavily damaged by mines.
On the Northwest Front, Germans under General von Lauenstein captured the key port of Libau on the Baltic coast.
On 9 May, on the Northwest Front, the German 8th Army was halted at Krakinow.
On the Southwest Front, the Russian 9th Army attempted a counter-offensive towards Kolomea, then being defended by the Austro-Hungarian 7th Army. The German Südarmee was forced to strengthen their right flank.
At Stavka, Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich wired War Minister Sukhomlinov, urgently demanding the supply of shells to the front. Rather than take direct action himself, the War Minister referred him to Grand Duke Sergei Mikhailovich, Inspector General of Artillery.
German Commander in Chief, von Falkenhayn, moved his headquarters from the Allied Western Front to the Eastern Front at Pless, 24 km west of Krakau, enabling him to be closer to the rapid German advance in Galicia. The Kaiser soon joined him there.
On 10 May, Russian Southwest Front Chief of Staff General V.M. Dragomirov had his nerves crumble under the strain of recent events. He was dismissed and replaced by General S.S. Savich. The Russian 3rd Army was decimated, losing 70,000 dead and 140,000 prisoners. Only about 40,000 men managed to retreat to the San River.
In the Black Sea, the German cruiser Goeben engaged Russian warships in the Eregli area. She was hit twice, but not seriously damaged, and forced to withdraw.
On 11 May, on the Northwest Front, German troops were holding a line on coast north of Libau to a line southwest of Shavli.
On the Southwest Front, the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army was moving forward against the Russian 4th Army in southern Poland. Bohm-Ermolli's Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army began an advance against the southern flank of the already routed Russian 3rd Army. Brusilov began the withdrawal of the Russian 8th Army in the Carpathians, falling back to the San River. German bombing squadron BAO arrived at their new airfield at Tarnow.
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The Year 1915
In North Persia, the Russians made progress near Tabriz.
On 12 May, on the Southwest Front, German General von Woyrsch's Armeegruppe was in fighting near Kielce and Kajetanow. German Südarmee airmen reported Russian troops are in retreat from Przemysl to the San River. The Austro-Germans briefly halted their advance at the San River to bring up men and supplies. The Russian 9th Army occupied Sniatyn on the Pruth River.
On 14 May, on the Southwest Front, Bohm-Ermolli's Austro-Hungarian 1st Army moved forward together with their 4th Army, attacking the rear of the retreating Russian 4th Army. On the left of the Russian 4th Army, von Woyrsch's German troops took Kielce, and then threatened Radom. Further south in Bukowina the Russian 11th Army captured Kolomea.
In mid-May, German agent Aleksandr Helphand arrived in Zurich, Switzerland, to see if he could come to terms with Lenin. Lenin distrusted Helphand, fearing that he might try to take over the Bolshevik movement. In early June, Helphand traveled to Copenhagen to open an import-export business, which he used as a front to maintain contact with and finance various revolutionary cells and strike committees in Russia.
On 15 May, on the Southwest Front, von Mackensen's 11th Army pressed forward, having advanced over 88 km in two weeks, inflicting over 100,000 casualties on the Russians. The Russian 3rd and 8th Armies were falling back to Grodek Lake west of Lemberg.
The Russian 4th Army, led by General Evert, moved his forces back from the Nida River in conformance to the 3rd Army retreat. General D.G. Shcherbachev's Russian 11th Army was forced to abandon their Koziowa positions against determined German Südarmee attacks, but tried to hold a line from Drohobucz, northwest of Styrj, to Sokolow. General Lechitskiy's Russian 9th Army continued their attacks north of Kolomea, but was heavily repulsed.
On 15 May, in Portugal, a revolutionary movement in Lisbon was quickly put down.
On 16 May, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army was heavily defeated between Kielce and Ostrovyets in southern Poland. von Mackensen's German 11th Army broke through on the Radymno salient, having taken Jaroslau on the San River on the 14th.
On 17 May, on the Southwest Front, von Mackensen's Germans further developed their success, extending their left to Sieniawa, which was captured on the 18th.
On the Caucasian Front, Russian forces occupied Ardjiche on Lake Van.
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The Year 1915
In the Black Sea, groups of Russian destroyers began efforts to blockade the Bosporus and disrupt Turkish coal shipments from Zonguldak to Constantinople.
On 18 May, in the face of a developing military crisis, Tsar Nicholas II arrived at Stavka in Baranovichi for a one week stay. Agriculture Minister Krivoshein, the spokesman of the Progressive faction, arrived there to enlist the aid of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich in convincing the Tsar to purge reactionaries from the Council of Ministers. The Grand Duke and Duma President Rodzianko appealed to the Tsar to dismiss those Council Ministers “who did not enjoy public trust.” The Tsar departed on the 24th, without having made up his mind.
On 19 May, on the Southwest Front, the Germans took Lutkow in Galicia. The Russians then opened a counter-offensive to cover the evacuation of Przemysl.
British Military Attache Captain Neilson stated that he met a Russian airman on the Southwest Front, who told him that he had reported for three weeks that German forces were concentrating for an attack, but no one wanted to believe him.
On the Caucasian Front, Russian troops relieved the defenders of Van and Kelashgert. The Tsar sent them congratulations on their heroic defense.
On 20 May, Russian Baltic Fleet Commander, Admiral N.O. von Essen, an early supporter of naval aviation, died after a short bout of pneumonia. He was replaced by Admiral B.A. Kanin.
On the Southwest Front, von Mackensen's Austro-German forces shelled the Russians holding Przemysl.
The German High Command expressed strong concerns whether Turkey could continue the war if there was no passage through Serbia for munitions. The Turks had only a thirty day supply on hand.
On 21 May, on the Northwest Front, German airship LZ.34 raided Kovno and Grodno. On her return she was damaged by Russian ground fire. She crashed and burned on landing at her base in East Prussia.
On the Caucasian Front, the Turks retreated on Bitlis in Kurdistan.
Italy signed a convention with Russia, with the object to coordinate efforts against Austria-Hungary. On the 22nd, Italy ordered general mobilization.
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© WARCHRON 2007
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