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Unfortunately, Samsonov took five days longer, and only crossed the border on 20 August. Worse, Rennenhampf was able to move faster, with a clear path into Prussia, while Samsonov suffered delays crossing the many minor tributaries of the Vistula. A dangerous gap soon formed between the armies, who were always at least three days march apart, preventing them from aiding each other. The German commander, General Max von Prittwitz, decided to attack Rennenkampf first, leaving Samsonov for later. However, the resulting battle of Gumbinnen (20 August 1914), at first appeared to be a disaster, and Prittwitz was panicked into suggesting a withdrawal to the Vistula, and the abandonment of East Prussia. He soon recovered his nerve, and realised that Rennenkampf had been forced to stop after Gumbinnen. Accordingly, Prittwitz put in place a plan to envelope Samsonov's army, still advancing slowing into Prussia. However, by now the German command had decided to replace Prittwitz with the team of Hindenburg and Ludendorff, who this took credit for the resulting victory. Samsonov now decided to push for the Vistula, a fatal mistake. Ignoring any threat to his rear, he moved forward, stretching his army, which helped the German plan. The resulting battle of Tannenberg (26-31 August 1914) was a total disaster. On 29 August the Russians were encircled, and the second armies totally destroyed. The Russians lost 50,000 dead, and 90,000 captured, in one of the few encirclement battles of the war. While the numbers of dead were already being overshadowed on the western front, the number of captives was rarely ever equalled. Samsonov was one of the few to escape the trap, but in despair at having failed the Tsar shot himself, probably on 29 August. His body was recovered, and he was buried on his family estate.
Tannenberg 1914 – Destruction of the Russian Second Army, Michael McNally.
Looks at the first part of the German victory in East Prussia in 1914, the destruction of the Russian Second Army at what became known as the battle of Tannenberg, after a campaign in which the Germans were often outnumbered and frequently considered themselves to be in serious trouble, before winning a crushing victory that undermined the entire Russian position in East Prussia (Read Full Review)
