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WarChron - September 1914 - Lemberg - Masurian Lakes |
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The Year 1914
On 2 September, on the Southwest Front, the Russian 8th Army was moving from south to north on Lemberg, which was taken the following day, while the 3rd Army attacked from the east and north. The Russians were victorious at the Battle of Lemberg. The Austro-Hungarians lost 130,000 men, their units being driven back in full retreat.
From 2-17 September, the Russian 3rd and 8th Armies carried out an advance of over 160 kilometers, taking Stryj on the 4th, Mikuliczyn on the 8th, Krasnik and Rava Russka on the 10th.
On 3 September, in the Baltic Sea, the Russians began fortifying the Aaland Islands and Moon Sound, stationing torpedo boats and submarines in those areas, while simultaneously increasing the guard on the critical Irben Straits.
On 4 September, in north Poland, von Hindenburg's 8th Army advanced against remnants of General Schneidemann's Russian 2nd Army. In heavy fighting the Germans took Mlava.
On the Southwest Front, the Russians began organizing a government of occupation for conquered regions in Galicia. Tsar Nicholas II issued an Imperial decree extending to the whole duration of the war the prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages.
On 5 September, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-Hungarians were defeated by the Russians at Tomashov, in Kholm province in Poland. The Russian 5th Army moved in the rear of the Austro-Hungarian 4th Army at Rava Russka.
The "Pact of London," otherwise known as the "Entente Treaty" was signed between Great Britain, France, and Russia, each agreeing they would not make a separate peace with the Central Powers. German forces were now only 16 km from Paris.
On 6 September, in Poland, the centre of General Dankl's Austro-Hungarian 1st Army was broken at Krasnostav by the Russian 5th Army, forcing them to fall back to the San River.
In Poland, the General P.A. Lechitskiy's Russian 9th Army was moving south of Ivangorod toward Sandomir. In Galicia, the Russian 8th Army was advancing on Grodek, southwest of Lemberg. Heavy fighting continued through the 12th.
War Minister Sukhomlinov reported to the Tsar that “a list of the most important measures of the War Ministry from 1909 to March 1914 fell into the hands of German intelligence through Pashkevich and Dumbadze.” Both men were friends of Sukhomlinov. The Tsar paid no attention to the report.
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The Year 1914
On 7 September, on the Northwest Front, the German 8th Army opened the Battle of the Masurian Lakes, shattering half of the Russian XX Corps and quickly took Biala. Fighting lasted until the 15th, with the Russians losing over 60,000 dead and 45,000 prisoners, while German losses were put at 10,000.
In the Baltic Sea, German light cruisers sank the Russian steamer Oleaborg near Raumo, in the Gulf of Bothnia.
On the Southwest Front in Galicia, a German Landwehr Corps and the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army advanced in heavy fighting at Tarnawka. There was fresh struggle between the Russians and Austro-Hungarians around Grodek. Russian cavalry reached the Carpathian Mountains.
In Petrograd, Octobrists and Kadets (Centrist parties) in the State Duma, joined with centre groups in the State Council to form a Progressive Bloc, holding 300 of the 422 deputies. At Petrograd, the Tsar approved the formation of the All-Russian Union of Zemstvos for the Relief of the Sick and Wounded, with Prince G.E. Lvov as chairman.
On 8 September, on the Northwest Front, German units broke through Russian lake defenses and turned north and northeast, hoping to cut Russian lines of communications. German airmen identified two Russian Corps at and west of Insterburg, another marching on Tilsit. On the night of the 9th, German patrols entered enemy trenches near Gerdauen, finding them empty.
In Galicia, there was fierce fighting around Rava Russka as General Pleve's Russian 3rd Army confronted General von Auffenberg's Austro-Hungarian 4th Army. Brusilov's Russian 8th Army captured Mikolajow (Mikuliczyn), south of Delatyn, in the foothills of the Carpathians.
The Turkish Commander of the Dardanelles Straits, Admiral Guido Usedom, informed Enver Pasha that he could not guarantee the Straits against attack by the British and French.
On 9 September, on the Northwest Front, the German 8th Army continued advancing towards Insterburg in East Prussia, learned that the Russians had begun a general retreat. The Germans defeated the Russians at Lyck on the 9th.
On 10 September, on the Northwest Front, Rennenkampf's Russian 1st Army was heavily defeated in the Battle of Masurian Lakes. The Germans seized Suvalki. The Russians began falling back on Kovno in their retreat from East Prussia.
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The Year 1914
On 10 September, on the Southwest Front, Dankl's Austro-Hungarian 1st Army was soundly defeated by the Russian 4th Army at the Battle of Krasnik, as the Russians retook the city. Archduke Josef's Austro-Hungarians were defeated at Opole, northwest of Krasnik. The Russian forces were victorious at Rava Russka and began lateral troop movements along the right bank of the Vistula River. Heavy rains began, rivers started to flood, worsening the Austro-Hungarian lines of retreat. The Russian Southwest Front HQ reported heavy fighting in all sectors, that they were rapidly running out of artillery shells, and the situation was becoming desperate.
On 11 September, on the Northwest Front, the Russian 1st Army evacuated Insterburg, and continued falling back before the German 8th Army advance. There was bloody fighting between Goldap to the Pregel River.
On the Southwest Front, the Russian 8th Army closed in on Grodek, southwest of Lemberg. Heavy rains turned roads into marshes as the Austro-Hungarians began a 160 km retreat from Lemberg to behind the San River, being almost forced back to Krakau. By this time they had lost 400,000 men, with 40,000 as prisoners, and 100 guns. Russian losses were put at over 250,000, including 40,000 prisoners.
On 12 September, on the Southwest Front, the opening of the Battle of Grodek and Rava Russka, as the Russian 8th Army captured Grodek. The Austro-Hungarians were falling back over the San River under heavy fire.
On 13 September, on the Northwest Front, the Russians had completed their retreat to their frontier, after a crushing defeat at the Battle of the Masurian Lakes. The Russians then turned on their pursuers and halted them at Sredniki, near the Niemen River. The Germans claimed to have taken 125,000 prisoners and 150 guns.
German GHQ ordered von Hindenburg to send two army corps as soon as possible to Krakau to bolster the faltering Austro-Hungarians.
On 14 September, von Moltke was relieved as Chief of Staff of the German Field Army. He was replaced by the Prussian Minister of War, General Erich von Falkenhayn.
On the Southwest Front, advancing Russians forced passage of San River in pursuit of General Dankl's heavily defeated forces. Lechitskiy's Russian 9th Army was approaching Sandomir (Sandomierz). In heavy fighting, the Russian 8th Army captured Czernowitz in Bukowina on the 17th.
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© WARCHRON 2007
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