Gorlice-Tarnow Breakthrough:
May 1915:
The head of the German Armies, von Falkenhayn, wants the
focus of the German operations in the war to be on the western
front. Yet to make this a reality, he feels that relief must
first be provided to the endangered Austro-Hungarians. Recent
Russian pressure had almost cracked the final Austro-Hungarian
defensive lines in the Carpathians, and new pressure was being
brought to bear on Germany's weak ally by the Italians, who
had just entered the war.
To help the Austro-Hungarians, a new German army is formed
under the capable von Mackensen, and placed in the line east
of Crackow. After a furious hurricane barrage, von Mackensen
attacks and completely pierces the Russian lines. A Russian
retreat ensues that enables the Central Powers' forces to
recapture most of Galicia.
Von Falkenhayn wanted to stop operations at this point and
shift to the west, but pressure from the Kaiser, at the insistance
of Hindenburg and Ludendorff, resulted in a widening of the
offensive. Attacks were then launched in the northern sector
of the eastern front as well. Enveloped on two sides, the
Russians reacted with their classic response, a retreat back
into Russia, leaving Russian Poland to the Germans.
The Central Powers offensive wound down as they struggled
to supply troops hundreds of miles past the supply heads.
The offensive has saved Austria-Hungary from immediate peril,
but it does not knock Russia out of the war. And instead of
enabling von Falkenhayn to focus on the west, most of the
newly created German forces are fed into the increasing vastness
of the eastern front.
The Brusilov Offensive 1916:
June 1916: In response to French pleas for
help to relieve the pressure at Verdun, the Russian STAVKA
authorizes a major offensive. General Brusilov plans attacks
all along the front of his Southwest Army Group aiming primarily
at Austro-Hungarian positions. His belief is that attacks
across the width of his front will prevent the enemy from
being able to quickly reinforce areas under local attack.
The Austro-Hungarians are caught off-guard as their focus
is a new offensive of their own in Italy. The Russian attacks
achieves numerous breakthroughs in numerous sectors and many
Austro-Hungarian units are completely routed. The Russians
take hundreds of thousands of prisoners and advance tens of
miles, recapturing significant cities.
German reinforcements are rushed from the north and from
Verdun. The Germans also take over command of almost the entire
eastern front, and Austria-Hungary is placed in a subserviant
position. The Russian offensive peters out as Brusilov's forces
start to experience supply shortages, and Central Powers'
resistance stiffens.
Brusilov had planned on support from Russian armies to the
north to pin down German forces with attacks of their own,
but they failed to support him. The losses mount and, after
months of fighting, the Russians finally call a halt to further
attacks.
The Brusilov Offensive did relieve the pressure on the French
and it came very close to knocking Austria-Hungary out of
the war. Had Brusilov been supported by his peers to the north,
and by the Russian Allies (including the hesitant Romanians)
the war might well have been won by the Entente in 1916.
