World War I : The battle of the Masurian Lake

Do you know that even WW I was fought all over Europe, the German fought British and France and the western front, at the same time, the German and Austria-Hungary also fought Russia on the Eastern Front. There are many battles at the Eastern front, and one of them is the battle at the Masurian Lake. I chose this battle because it had two battles at the same place.

After Russia was defeated at the battle of Tannenberg, the German head on to the next battle at the Masurian Lake at Prussia, the terrain of the Masurian Lake land is broken and that made the German force which outnumbered the Russia unable to surround them. The battle start at September 9, 1914, and it took five for the Russian army to gain some land back but on September 25, 1914, General Rennenkampf was able to extract his army in small group and was able to defeat Russian army.

"First World War.com." Battles - The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 1915. 17 August 2001. 18 September 2008. http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/masurian2.htm

After the first defeat of the Russian army, there was a second battle at the Masurian Lake in 1915. This battle is also called as the winter battle of the Masurian Lake, because during the battle, there was a big blizzard. It was part of Paul von Hindenburg, a German commander’s plan to push Russia on two sides by combining Germany and Austria force. His aim is to end the war at the Eastern Front, the plan work and Russia finally surrenders at 21 February 1915.

"First World War.com." Battles - The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 1915. 17 August 2001. 18 September 2008. http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/masurian2.htm

In my opinion, Russia should have prepared for the war better since they are the one who lives in the cold all time, they shouldn’t have know that how cold would it be in a long fight, I think that if the Russian army had prepared better, they could have repel the German attack.

Source:

Rickard, J. (15 March 2001), First Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 9-14 September 1914, http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/battles_masurian.html

"First World War.com." Battles - The Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes, 1915. 17 August 2001. 18 September 2008. http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/masurian2.htm