Changes

On the 15th of August 1914, two huge Russian Armies, number over three quarters of a million men began their advance into East Prussia, part of the German Reich. The Russian Tsar had previously agreed that in the event of a German invasion of France, that his armies would invade German territory.<ref> Hastings, Max. <i>Catastrophe: Europe goes to war 1914 </i> (London, William Collins, 2013) p. 281</ref> The Tsar would send his armies deep into eastern Germany in order to relieve pressure on France. It was believed that this would give the western allies, the opportunity to beat back any German invasion of France, by forcing Berlin to fight a war on two fronts.

A war in the east and the west had long been the nightmare of the German High Command. The strategy adopted by the Germans was to invade France and undertake a defensive strategy in the east in 1914. The German High Command under Von Moltke the younger, order the 8th army to defend East Prussia from any Russian attack.<ref> Hastings, p. 282</ref> However, the Germans are taken by surprise by the Russian invasion. They invaded much quicker that Von Moltke had expected, even though the Russians advance was slow. The Russian 1st Army and the 2nd Army moved across the border into Prussia. The two armies were separated by the Masurian Lakes, and their progress was slowed by the terrain.

The two armies intended to meet and then advance to meet the German army and to destroy it in a pincer movement. However, the German 8th army opted to advance to meet the 1st Russian army before it could link up with the 2nd army. By August the 19th, the Russian 1st Army had advanced to the town of Gumbinnen, and here they waited for battle.<ref> Strachan, H. <i>The First World War. Volume I. To Arms. </i> (Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2001) p.298</ref> The commander of the 8th army panicked and he ordered a general retreat and this left East Prussia open to the Russians. The Russian 1st army was now free to move deep into Prussia and threatened its capital Konigsberg (modern Kaliningrad). The German army was pressing further into France and yet the position in the east was fast deteriorating.