Considering the scale of the battles and the resources committed to the Western Front during these first months, it is remarkable that Germany could be engaged in actions of a similar scale and significance on here eastern front. In the east support came from Austria-Hungary, numerically strong if not militarily.
The decaying Habsburg Empire was culpable, though not solely, in the escalating series of events leading to the outbreak of war. First to declare war, against Serbia on 28th July, but last to be drawn into the main conflict on August 12th, Austria had become determined to crush Serbia long before the assassination on 28th June. Ironically, Franz Ferdinand had been the most likely person to pursue a diplomatic solution to the Balkan crisis, and was about to dismiss the Austrian C-in-C - the unpleasantly bellicose Conrad von Hotzendorf - for his constant war mongering.
There were more 'fringe' players in the eastern theatre in 1915 than in the west. Italy stayed out initially - refusing to join the central alliance - partly because she did not want war with Britain or France and partly because of ongoing territorial disputes with Austria. Since Austria had triggered events by declaring war on Serbia, Italy did not feel bound by the Triple Alliance treaty with Germany and Austria. The Balkan states, plus Rumania, Turkey and Greece were all at differing stages of preparedness for the conflict.
The attack by Austria on Serbia was the prelude to major actions in two areas of the Eastern Theatre: running east to west in Galicia, north of the Carpathian mountains, Austria and Russia faced each other; and north to south in Russian Poland and East Prussia, Germany and Austria were opposed.
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| Hawk - the aristocrat Conrad repeatedly called for war, but was unsuccessful in waging it |
There were more 'fringe' players in the eastern theatre in 1915 than in the west. Italy stayed out initially - refusing to join the central alliance - partly because she did not want war with Britain or France and partly because of ongoing territorial disputes with Austria. Since Austria had triggered events by declaring war on Serbia, Italy did not feel bound by the Triple Alliance treaty with Germany and Austria. The Balkan states, plus Rumania, Turkey and Greece were all at differing stages of preparedness for the conflict.
The attack by Austria on Serbia was the prelude to major actions in two areas of the Eastern Theatre: running east to west in Galicia, north of the Carpathian mountains, Austria and Russia faced each other; and north to south in Russian Poland and East Prussia, Germany and Austria were opposed.
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| Unlikely Dove? - the autocrat Franz Ferdinand, heir to the crumbling empire |
Austria needed to finish off Serbia as fast
as possible, in order to bring maximum resources to bear for the fight with
Russia. Germany had initial expectations that Italy, as part of the triple
alliance with Austria, Rumania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece would all line up with
Austro-German central axis.
As matters transpired, the neutrality of all of these was still in the balance by the year end. Italy declined, and Rumania followed suit, despite its King’s strong ties with Germany and his preference for declared alliance with them. Greece and Turkey were too intimidated by the British Fleet, which left only Bulgaria likely to declare for the central alliance. Portugal and Japan had declared alliance with Britain, though not as belligerents in the war.
As matters transpired, the neutrality of all of these was still in the balance by the year end. Italy declined, and Rumania followed suit, despite its King’s strong ties with Germany and his preference for declared alliance with them. Greece and Turkey were too intimidated by the British Fleet, which left only Bulgaria likely to declare for the central alliance. Portugal and Japan had declared alliance with Britain, though not as belligerents in the war.
All of this meant that it was essential for
Austria to crush Serbia rapidly to win over the waverers. Conrad selected his Plan
B (Balkan) for Serbia (3 of Austria’s 6 armies to invade Serbia, leaving 3 to
guard v Russia in the North) rather than Plan R(ussia) (2 armies v Serbia, 4 v
Russia). He justified this by arguing that Serbia had forced war
forced on Austria, and he did not want to be seen as responsible
for triggering a world war, only to pursue Serbia.
On 28th July Austria declared v Serbia, and the 3 armies moved. Austria had 18 Divisions and geographical supremacy against Serbia’s 11 Divisions. Potiorek (of Sarajevo disrepute) was in charge of two armies, the 5th and 6th, due to invade from the west, and the 2nd approached from the north.
Kaiser Wilhelm was unhappy about Plan B, and contacted directly the Emperor Franz Joseph, urging that Austria should settle with Italy to bring her into the triple alliance, and put the great majority of her forces into the front developing in Galicia facing the Russians. This pressure effectively converted Conrad's Plan B to Plan R, but the Austrian 2nd army was already on trains to the Serbian border on the Danube, and could not be recalled.
The Austrian line for war with Russia put their armies in the plain of Galicia, north
of the Carpathian mountains, and south of the two rivers San and Dniester.
Their path of retreat if unsuccessful was to be through an eastern pass of the
Carpathians, or to the west, through Cracow and Bohemia – "the Moravian gate".
Conrad’s Plan R would give him a good numerical
superiority over the Russians, but with Plan B already underway, he would have only
parity of numbers. German support was promised, but Conrad would need to make
good progress in order for his left flank to link up with the German right
flank in East Prussia. He hoped the Germans would move much further south towards him, but was disappointed, as they decided to concentrate their actions in the north, towards Kovno. Not for the last time Conrad found himself in a sticky position, with his own 2nd
army stuck in Serbia. An Austrian cavalry reconnaissance, attempting to
discover Russian movements across a 300 miles front from Mohilev to Lublin was
futile, and uncertainty abounded.
On 28th July Austria declared v Serbia, and the 3 armies moved. Austria had 18 Divisions and geographical supremacy against Serbia’s 11 Divisions. Potiorek (of Sarajevo disrepute) was in charge of two armies, the 5th and 6th, due to invade from the west, and the 2nd approached from the north.
Kaiser Wilhelm was unhappy about Plan B, and contacted directly the Emperor Franz Joseph, urging that Austria should settle with Italy to bring her into the triple alliance, and put the great majority of her forces into the front developing in Galicia facing the Russians. This pressure effectively converted Conrad's Plan B to Plan R, but the Austrian 2nd army was already on trains to the Serbian border on the Danube, and could not be recalled.
The Russian mobilisation began following the Czar’s order on 30th July. Five million men from all
parts of Russia were converging on the Eastern front. Plan G ‘Germania’ was for
a major, head on conflict with German forces. Plan A ‘Austria’ envisaged
Germany pre-occupied in the west, and only defensive on her Eastern
front. In both plans, the Polish salient would be evacuated at the outbreak of
hostilities, to present a united front. If necessary, the strategic retreats of
1812 would be repeated to buy time, and to stretch the German lines. Grand Duke
Nicholas, uncle of the Czar, assumed command of all Russian armies on the
front. Initially he tended towards the more defensive formation, but the 1911 agreement between Russia and France mandated Russia to move into
Germany if Germany invaded France. France invoked this agreement, and Duke
Nicholas created two extra armies to strike towards the German border on a line
between Thorn – Posen – Breslau.
Hence, the scene was set for the two major battles in the east to follow the Serbia curtain raiser - Lemberg and Tannenberg.
Hence, the scene was set for the two major battles in the east to follow the Serbia curtain raiser - Lemberg and Tannenberg.
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