great retreat of 1915
Tag
(31)1915
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.
- 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.
- 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.