The Germans, who lost 20,000 men in the battle, were able to take over 92,000 Russian prisoners. Fought from 2630 August 1914, the Battle of Tannenberg demonstrated the strength of the German war machine and the weaknesses of its Russian counterpart. Shocked by the disastrous outcome of the battle, Samsanov committed suicide. Only 10,000 of the 150,000 Russian soldiers managed to escape.
General Alexander Samsonov attempted to retreat but now in a German cordon, most of his troops were slaughtered or captured. However, by 29th August, Samsanov's Second Army was surrounded. They made contact on 22nd August, 1914, and for six days the Russians, with their superior numbers, had a few successes. General Paul von Hindenburg and General Erich Ludendorff were sent forward to meet Samsonov's advancing troops. The commander of the German Eighth Army, General Maximilian Prittwitz, was dismissed for ordering the retreat when faced with the Russian Second Army.
He advanced slowly into the south western corner of the province with the intention of linking up with General Paul von Rennenkampf advancing from the north east. It was an extraordinary victory for Germany. It also gave detailed plans for the routes the Russian Second Army was planning to use to advance on the Germans. Therefore, the Germans knew where Samsonov planned to march his army and could plan accordingly.On the outbreak of the First World War General Alexander Samsonov was given command of the Russian Second Army for the invasion of East Prussia. In 1914, the Battle of Tannenberg was fought between Imperial Germany and Russia. This stated that he believed that the German army was withdrawing to Tannenburg. The second intercepted message was sent by Samsonov. Therefore, the Germans could guarantee that Samsonov would get no help from the First Army. The message stated clearly that Rennenkampf’s army was not marching towards Samsonov’s Second Army.
One was sent by Rennenkampf to inform Samsonov of his marching plan for the First Army. Two in particular were invaluable to the Germans. If the Russian were hampered by poor communications, the Germans greatly benefited from the ease with which they could intercept Russian messages. Samsonov assumed that Rennenkampf was moving as planned through East Prussia. He was also unaware that the Russian First Army had halted its advance after its success at Gumbinnen. He was unaware of what Hoffman was trying to do despite the fact that the Germans were moving around a vast number of men and supplies. Samsonov was severely hampered by a lack of communications.
WHEN WAS THE BATTLE OF TANNENBERG HOW TO
Both Ludendorff and Hindenburg took great credit for what happened at Tannenburg – but the actual details on how to surround Russia’s Second Army came from another German officer – Colonel Maximilian Hoffman. By August 22nd, they had stabilised the Eastern Front and by August 29th, the Germans surrounded Samsonov’s army. Both men believed that attack was the best form of defence and they ordered that the Eighth Army had to show more aggression in what it did. Generals Ludendorff and Hindenburg, replaced Prittwitz. Prittwitz had feared that his army would be encircled after Rennenkampf’s army had defeated the Germans at the Battle of Gumbinnen. The German commander facing Samsonov, Maximilian Prittwitz, was sacked by Helmuth von Moltke, Germany’s Chief of Staff, for ordering his Eighth Army to retreat as Samsonov’s Second Army advanced. The start of the campaign went well for Russia. His brief in August 1914 was to invade East Prussia along with General Rennenkampf’s First Army.
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