Eastern Front
Front
(272)1914
August
- 01
- Key eventGermany mobilises and declares war on RussiaOn 1 August 1914 Germany ordered general mobilisation and in the evening declared war on Russia. The war ceased to be a Balkan conflict.
- First fighting on the border of the Kingdom of PolandOn 1 August 1914 the German-Russian border, running through Polish lands, became a front line. In the following days the Germans took Kalisz and Częstochowa.
- 23
- Battle of Tannenberg beginsOn 23 August 1914 Samsonov's Russian Second Army clashed with the Germans in southern East Prussia. Fighting began that would end in its encirclement.
- The Battle of Kraśnik beginsOn 23 August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian First Army and the Russian Fourth Army clashed in the Lublin region. The great Battle of Galicia had begun.
- Hindenburg takes command of the Eighth ArmyOn 23 August 1914 General Paul von Hindenburg, recalled from retirement, took command of the Eighth Army in East Prussia, with Ludendorff as chief of staff.
- 26
- Battle of the Złota Lipa beginsOn 26 August 1914 the Austro-Hungarian Third Army attacked east of Lviv and collided with the much stronger armies of Ruzsky and Brusilov.
- Battle of Komarów beginsOn 26 August 1914 Auffenberg's Austro-Hungarian 4th Army attacked Plehve's Russian 5th Army near Zamość. The Battle of Komarów had begun.
September
- 11
- Battle of Gródek and Rawa Ruska endsOn 11 September 1914 the Austro-Hungarian bid to retake Lviv failed. The Russians broke the front at Rawa Ruska; Conrad ordered a retreat behind the San.
- The great Austro-Hungarian retreat in GaliciaOn 11 September 1914 Conrad ordered the Austro-Hungarian armies back behind the San, then the Dunajec. Russia took most of Galicia and besieged Przemyśl.
- 15
- End of the Battle of the Masurian LakesOn 15 September 1914 the Battle of the Masurian Lakes ended. Rennenkampf's Russian 1st Army, beaten but not encircled, withdrew from East Prussia.
- Russians occupy CzernowitzIn September 1914 Russian troops occupied Czernowitz, capital of Austrian Bukovina. During the war the city changed hands several times.
- 24
- First siege of Przemyśl beginsOn 24 September 1914 the Russian Third Army cut Przemyśl off from the Austro-Hungarian army. The first siege of one of the largest fortresses in Europe began.
- Russians enter HungaryOn 24 September 1914 Russian troops crossed the Carpathian passes and entered northern Hungary. At the beginning of October they were driven back.
October
- 03
- End of the Austro-Hungarian retreat in GaliciaIn early October 1914 the Austro-Hungarian armies halted on the Dunajec and the Biała. After three weeks of retreat they were preparing a counter-offensive.
- Russians take MáramarosszigetIn early October 1914 Russian cavalry that had crossed the Carpathian passes took Máramarossziget, capital of the Hungarian county of Máramaros.
- 09
- Battles of Warsaw and Dęblin beginOn 9 October 1914 the Germans reached the Vistula and moved on Warsaw. The British chronology dates the start of the battles of Warsaw and Dęblin to this day.
- Relief of PrzemyślOn 9 October 1914 cavalry of General Boroević's Third Army reached Przemyśl. After a failed assault the Russians drew back from the fortress behind the San.
November
- 15
- Battle of Kraków beginsIn mid-November 1914 the Russians neared the fortress of Kraków. On 16 November the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army sallied out and hit their Ninth Army's flank.
- Second Russian invasion of HungaryIn the second half of November 1914 the Russians again crossed the Carpathians into Hungary. They took Humenné late in the month, but were soon driven back.
December
- 17
- End of the Battle of the BzuraOn 17 December 1914 the battle of Łowicz and Sanniki came to an end. The Russians gave up Łowicz and took up new positions behind the lower Bzura and the Rawka.
- End of the Battle of LimanowaThe British chronology ends the Battle of Limanowa on 17 December 1914. Fighting had stopped days earlier, but Vienna then announced a general Russian retreat.
1915
January
February
- 22
- End of the Second Battle of the Masurian LakesOn 22 February 1915 the Germans declared the winter battle in Masuria over. The Russian 10th Army left East Prussia, but most of its corps escaped.
- Start of the battle of PrzasnyszOn 22 February 1915 German divisions began to encircle Przasnysz in northern Mazovia, and the Russians sent fresh Siberian corps against their flank.
March
April
May
- 14
- Central Powers take JarosławIn mid-May 1915 the German Guard and the Austro-Hungarian VI Corps took the Russian bridgehead at Jarosław and reached the San. The town suffered from shelling.
- End of the battle of Sanok and RzeszówIn mid-May 1915 the Russians withdrew from western Galicia behind the San. The Central Powers took Sanok and Rzeszów and 130,000–140,000 prisoners.
- 18
- Battles of Stryj and Drohobycz beginIn mid-May 1915 the South Army came down from the Carpathians to Stryj and Drohobycz. The Russians stood there on a new line and repulsed attack after attack.
- Russian expulsions of Jews from the front zoneOn 18 May 1915 the deadline expired for the Jews of western Kovno province to leave their homes. The Russian army accused them of treason.
- 24
- Fighting to retake Przemyśl beginsOn 24 May 1915 Mackensen's army struck at Radymno to cut Przemyśl off from the east. The Russians lost Radymno and thousands of men as prisoners.
- Battle of the Stryj beginsOn 24 May 1915 the South Army began shelling Russian positions before Stryj. Linsingen massed his forces for one blow, but the infantry stuck in the wire.
June
- 03
- The Central Powers retake PrzemyślEarly on 3 June 1915 German and Austro-Hungarian troops entered Przemyśl, abandoned by the Russians. Russian rule in the town had lasted 73 days.
- End of the battles of Stryi and DrohobyczBy 3 June 1915 the Russians had fallen back from Stryi and Drohobycz to the Dniester. The oil basin was free, but they still held a bridgehead on the river.
- 11
- End of the Battle of PrzemyślA British chronology ends the Battle of Przemyśl on 11 June 1915. After the fortress fell, the front halted at Mościska and Mackensen prepared to hit Lviv.
- End of the Battle of the StryiOn 11 June 1915 the South Army, earlier pushed back over the Dniester, attacked again near Żydaczów. The British chronology ends the Stryi battle that day.
- 12
- Battle of Mościska and Lubaczów beginsOn 12 June 1915 Mackensen's troops crossed the San and the Lubaczówka near Sieniawa. The battle that was to open the road to Lviv had begun.
- Battle of Rarańcza beginsOn 12 June 1915 the Legions' Second Brigade took Rarańcza in Bukovina unopposed, but was held up by Russian trenches on the hills above Rokitna in Bessarabia.
- 15
- Battle of Mościska and Lubaczów endsOn 15 June 1915 Mackensen's armies broke the second Russian line at Nahaczów and Oleszyce. Brusilov ordered a retreat to the Gródek line in front of Lviv.
- Battle of Rarańcza endsOn 15 June 1915 XI Corps fell back to the Rokitna and the Second Brigade dug in at Rarańcza, where the uhlans killed in the charge at Rokitna were buried.
- 22
- Austro-Hungarians retake LvivOn 22 June 1915 troops of the Austro-Hungarian Second Army entered Lviv. After 293 days the Russian occupation of the capital of Galicia came to an end.
- End of the battle of ŻydaczówOn 22 June 1915 the battle of Żydaczów ended. Threatened from the north, the Russians gave up the south bank of the Dniester; the South Army prepared to cross.
July
- 13
- Central Powers' great offensive in the east beginsOn 13 July 1915 the Germans struck from East Prussia towards the Narew. An offensive began that was to drive the Russians out of the Kingdom of Poland.
- Battle of the Narew and Biebrza beginsOn 13 July 1915 Gallwitz's and Scholtz's armies attacked the Russian front between the Vistula and Biebrza, aiming at the Narew crossings and Warsaw's rear.
- Second Battle of Przasnysz beginsOn 13 July 1915, after a bombardment of several hours from some 800 guns, Army Group Gallwitz broke the Russian First Army's main defence line at Przasnysz.
- Battles of Masłomęcz and Grabowiec beginOn 13 July 1915 the German Army of the Bug took up positions between Hrubieszów and Grabowiec. The attack on the Russian Thirteenth Army began on 15 July.
- 17
- Battle of SiennoOn 17 July 1915 Woyrsch's Silesian Landwehr broke the Russian front at Sienno on the west bank of the Vistula. The Russians fell back towards Ivangorod.
- End of the second battle of PrzasnyszBy 17 July 1915 the Germans had pushed the Russian 1st Army back about 30 km from Przasnysz and Ciechanów to fortified bridgeheads on the Narew.
- 18
- End of the battles of Masłomęcz and GrabowiecOn 18 July 1915 the Russian Thirteenth Army still held off the Bug Army near Hrubieszów and Grabowiec. It fell back that night as the front broke at Krasnystaw.
- End of the Battle of KrasnystawOn 18 July 1915 the Germans held Krasnystaw and the Wieprz bridgehead despite Russian Guards counter-attacks. At night the Russians fell back near the railway.
- 19
- End of the second battle of KraśnikOn the night of 18–19 July 1915 the Russians abandoned their positions at Kraśnik and Urzędów and fell back closer to Lublin. As they left, they burned Urzędów.
- Battles of Hrubieszów and Wojsławice beginOn 19 July 1915 the Russians fell back to a new line running west from Hrubieszów. The Army of the Bug followed them and stopped before more trenches.
- 21
- Central Powers encircle IvangorodOn 21 July 1915 Woyrsch's troops reached Ivangorod. Kövess's Austro-Hungarians closed it off from the west; the Germans prepared to cross the Vistula.
- End of the second battle of IvangorodOn 21 July 1915 the Silesian Landwehr broke the front at Zwoleń. The Russians left Ivangorod's forefield for the Kozienice–Gniewoszów line on the Vistula.
- 30
- Battles of Hrubieszów and Wojsławice endOn 30 July 1915 the Russian 13th Army began to retreat from Hrubieszów. After twelve days of fighting the Bug Army reached Strzelce and Leszczany.
- End of the Battle of BiskupiceOn 30 July 1915, after their defeat at Biskupice, the Russians fell back all along the front between the Vistula and the Bug. The Austro-Hungarians took Lublin.
- Start of the Battle of KupiškisOn 30 July 1915 the Russian 5th Army struck at Kupiškis in Lithuania, into the gap between Niemen Army cavalry corps due to set off for Vilna and Dvinsk.
August
- 05
- Key eventGermans occupy WarsawOn 5 August 1915 troops of the German Ninth Army entered Warsaw, abandoned by the Russians overnight. Russian rule, in place since 1815, came to an end.
- Central Powers take IvangorodOn 5 August 1915 Vienna announced the capture of Ivangorod. A day earlier the Austro-Hungarians had entered forts the Russians left on the Vistula's left bank.
September
- 09
- Start of the Battle of DvinskOn 9 September 1915 the right wing of the German Niemen Army set off for Dvinsk, to reach the Dvina and cover the attack on Vilna from the north.
- Start of the Battle of VilnaOn 9 September 1915 the German 10th Army struck north of Vilna, into the gap between two Russian armies. General Garnier's cavalry pushed into the breach.
- 16
- Germans take PinskIn mid-September 1915 the German Army of the Bug took Pinsk in Polesia. The Russians fell back behind the Yaselda and the Ogiński Canal into the Pripet marshes.
- Battle of Tarnopol endsOn 16 September 1915 Ivanov ended his counter-offensive and pulled back to the Seret. The Russians had halted the Austro-Hungarian offensive in East Galicia.
October
November
December
1916
1917
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
- 03
- Armistice negotiations open at Brest-LitovskOn 3 December 1917 at Brest-Litovsk Adolph Joffe's Bolshevik delegation sat down to armistice talks with the Central Powers' officers under Gen. Hoffmann.
- Death of General DukhoninOn 3 December 1917 Krylenko's troops occupied the Stavka at Mogilev. The arrested General Dukhonin was lynched at the station by a mob of soldiers and sailors.
1918
January
February
- 25
- Germans take Reval and PskovOn 25 February 1918 the Germans entered Reval (Tallinn), and in the night after a brief fight they took Pskov. The road to Petrograd lay open before them.
- Convention of BobruiskOn 25–26 February 1918 at Bobruisk Gen. Dowbor-Muśnicki's I Polish Corps agreed with the Germans that it would be treated as a neutral force and keep its arms.
March
April
May
June
July
August
November
- 22
- Poles take LvivOn the night of 21–22 November 1918 the Ukrainians withdrew from Lviv, and in the morning the Poles took the city. On the day of victory a pogrom broke out.
- Pogrom in LvivOn 22–24 November 1918, after the Poles took Lviv, soldiers and civilians looted and burned the Jewish quarter. Between several dozen and 150 Jews were killed.
- 28
- Bolsheviks take NarvaOn 28 November 1918 the Red Army attacked Narva, which the Germans were leaving. The Estonians had to give up the town. The Estonian War of Independence began.
- Voluntary Legion of WomenOn 28 November 1918 the first volunteers in Lviv joined Aleksandra Zagórska's women's militia. In December it became the Voluntary Legion of Women.
December
- 18
- Germans leave DorpatOn 18 December 1918 the Germans withdrew from Dorpat (Tartu). A few days later the Estonians gave up the town without a fight and the Red Army entered it.
- French land at OdessaOn 18 December 1918 General Borius's French division landed at Odessa. At the French demand, the Directorate's troops began to leave the city.