What was the eastern front like in WW1? Was it static trench warfare like the west? Were there large battles comparable to verdun or the somme?
It was more mobile.
1914 saw Russia invade East Prussia and take some territory. The Battle of Tannenberg checked this advance. Once Germany made Russia the focus of their attention in 1915, Russia was unable to cope.
Russian trenches were is no way comparable to the fortifications constructed in the West. Germany possessed superior quality and quantity of artillery. This meant in 1915, Germany relentlessly battered Russia and kept forcing them to withdraw.
Russia would have collapsed in 1916. However, Falkenhayn (the german Commander) preferred an attack in the west. Instead, you get the attrition of Verdun and the Somme.
Russia launches the Brusilov offensive which smashes into Austro Hungary. Germany is forced to bail out the Austrians yet again. (Austro-Hungary was virtually finished by mid 1915 as a major combat player.)
The offensive is the last flurry by the Russians. Falkenhayn is replaced by Ludendorff and Hindenburg because of the clusterfuck in the west, Ludendorff and Hindenburg pursue a policy in 1917 of trading territory in the west for time to squash Russia in the East. If Falkenhayn had done this a year earlier, you might have had a different outcome in the war...
>>960890
West was only front in that war what was static, rest was mobile like in other wars.
>>961127
The Italian/Soča front was also pretty static, with the advances happening in 1915 and then in 1917, but not really far.
Favorite Eastern WWI engagement.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Przemy%C5%9Bl
Any good books on WW1?
>>965975
Do you want academic literature or memoirs?
>>966047
The former.
>>966053
The Guns of August is probably the quintessential academic book on WWI. It focuses primarily on the Western Front though.
>>960943
>Russia would have collapsed in 1916.
Not Likely,germans were too busy propping up A-H to spare enough troops to force a decisive battle.
>>960890
There was a lot more movement of the lines, as neither side had enough men to fill up the whole front as was the case in the west. Attacks were certainly easier in the east than in the west, as there were less defenders per mile of front.
>During the First World War we closely encountered the Russian Tsarist Army. I'll provide a little known, but significant, fact: our losses on the Eastern Front were significantly higher than losses suffered by us on the Western Front from 1914 to 1918.
-General Gunther Blumentrit (General der Infanterie)
>oh boy machine guns
the front
Pretty good documentary series on the eastern front.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwGzY25TNHPAtf180Sg-YDiPAjeYm01aP&nohtml5=False
>>966091
>During the First World War we closely encountered the Russian Tsarist Army. I'll provide a little known, but significant, fact: our losses on the Eastern Front were significantly higher than losses suffered by us on the Western Front from 1914 to 1918.
Wikipedia has German losses (dead and missing) on the Eastern Front totaling less than 500,000. That quote is a hard pill to swallow.
What i really find interesting are the anti-bolshevist campaigns that took place toward/after the end of WW1 primarily in the baltics with the defeated white army remains fighting alongside german Freikorps against the red menace trying to liberate Latvia, Estonia et al. Now this is some interesting shit. Unfortunately it doesn't fit the faux allied historical propaganda narrative of "germans BAD soviets GOOD" so there are virtually no movies to be found about this chapter of history
>>966591
Casualties is not only men killed and missing.
>>966593
Except Freikorps and the White remnants wanted to occupy Baltics for themselves. Latvians, Estonians, Lithuanians had to fight against the Reds and against the German/White forces.
>>966593
I know Clemenceau (minister of war) has lead a campaign in Sebastopol which has failed. But can't find anything about this.
Somewhere I can learn more ?
>>967677
(french minister of war)
The Soviet fleet had been reorganized on pragmatic lines following the loss of its two destroyers, and Trotsky had given the blunt instruction: "The Revolution must put the British fleet out of action." At first, fortune favored him: mines damaged the British cruiser Curacoa and sank the submarine L-55 and the minesweepers Myrtle and Gentian with the loss of over 50 lives.
The British managed to keep the Soviet navy from intervening in Estonia's war for independence, but failed to cause material harm until June. In that month, a single 40-foot coastal motor boat commanded by Lieutenant Augustus Agar penetrated the Kronstadt minefield and sank the cruiser Oleg. The action inspired Cowan, and on Aug. 17 he sent eight CMBs into Kronstadt. These small motorboats, armed only with torpedoes and machine guns, entered the main harbor basin and sank the Soviet fleet's two chief battleships and a store-ship. In the hail of fire that followed, three CMBs were sunk with the loss of 15 lives; but as Cowan commented of the Soviet fleet: "Nothing bigger than a destroyer ever moved again." Although a Soviet submarine later sank one British destroyer and a mine sank another, the naval threat to Estonia's flank was permanently lifted.
>>966591
based on Reich War Ministry's health report on the German army
1914 : 149,418 ;
1915: 663,739;
1916 : 383,505;
1917 : 238,581;
1918 : 33,568;
I can only answer about front in Latvia. There where big battles that where mainly pointless, the front moved all around Latvian territory, because of autistic Russian generals who made their main priority to kill as many Latvians as possible by sending them in stupid almost unwinnable fights. When Latvia declared independence in 1918, there was USSR and German favored little governments in it's territory. After 2 years of fights there was made peace. Happy ending till 1939 rus occupation.
>>960943
>checked their advance
Bit of an understatement, the Russian 2nd Army was practically annihilated and it was such a one sided shitfest the commander killed himself out of embarassment.
>>967703
>because of autistic Russian generals who made their main priority to kill as many Latvians as possible by sending them in stupid almost unwinnable fights
Not really. Everyone, everywhere got fucked by stupid suicidal orders from Russians, not just minorities.
>>967703
> autistic Russian generals who made their main priority to kill as many Latvians as possible by sending them in stupid almost unwinnable fights.
I think that's what they are teaching in schools nowadays in Latvia.
In the 90s government already forced the meme about Ocea- I mean Latvia being eternal enemy of the Russia.
>>967942
> Not really. Everyone, everywhere got fucked by stupid suicidal orders from Russians, not just minorities.
He is talking about Red Riflemen. Since they supported the October Revolution (Lenin himself got Latvian bodyguards) and were one of the major influences during the Civil War, Soviet historians painted them as the superhero brigade that saved the day during WWI as well.
Then shit went from bad to worse. Once USSR fell, neonazi- I mean people with Nation's best interests in mind, had to rewrite history to fit modern realities. Obviously, Red Riflemen became Latvian Riflemen and became even more badass.
I wouldn't be surprised if Latvian troops crushed the crux of German forces in WWI. According to the new Latvian history books, at least.
>>960890
The Germans took Rostov in WWI and nearly reached Tsaritsyn (Stalingrad)? No fucking way. I had no idea.
>>966103
>retardation
the post
>>966593
Books on this?
>>968045
They occupied it. I don't think they had fought that far by the time of the Brest-Litovsk treaty.
>>960890
Why did the Germans go into Finland? It's on every ww1 map but i don't know anything about it beyond that.
>>967999
Wow, do I smell Russophile? There are evidences that white generals did not send their forces in battles, they made minorities of empire eastern border fight in multiple battles that where made to bring soldiers to doom. In Latvia there where such big fights like Ložmetēja kauja, Nāves sala (long time holding, I think it might be described as), Ziemassvētku kaujas etc. Best books that represent it would be from Remark(German one) and Alexander Green(Latvian one)
We do not think that we, 1,5mil nation at that moment could fight big scary germany, but you can't say that white army was doing their best to win reich and not kill hundreds thousands of it's citizen's in that time Russian empire.
>>967942
I am not saying that there where non loses on White rus side, but main forces that they lost where from fights with Red rus.
>>968461
tl;dr
>russian empire collapses
>finland becomes independent
>civil war between finnish whites & reds
>whites are germanboos and want their help
>germans want to make finland an ally/puppet
>commies lose, a german monarchy is installed
>germany loses WWI, monarchy abolished
>:-DDDDDDD
>>968534
> Wow, do I smell Russophile?
That's the smell of Freedom, you little neonazi shit.
> There are evidences that white generals did not send their forces in battles, they made minorities of empire eastern border fight in multiple battles that where made to bring soldiers to doom.
There were no "white generals" until 1918. And nobody ever claimed that some generals wanted to exterminate the minorities. Only Bolsheviks made accusation of generals sabotaging the war, but only because Bolsheviks themselves were accused of working on Germany.
So shut you filthy lying mouth.
> We do not think that we, 1,5mil nation at that moment could fight big scary germany
And here we have "The Defeat of German Horde by the Latvian Superhero Brigade" as presented to you by Easter European History Revisionists.
You never fought The Germany, you delusional freak, because the frontline stretched from Black Sea to Baltic Sea. It was not concentrated in Latvia alone. Especially because Latvia didn't even exist at the time.
The one doing the fighting in the Baltics was the 12th Russian Army of which you Superhero Brigade was part of.
> Nāves sala (long time holding, I think it might be described as),
Just so that anyone reading this could see your bullshit, I'm going to explain how the Baltic Thermopylae actually happened.
In the September of 1916 the Germans used gas to attack the penninsula. Most of the troops present there ("Russian", for the purpose of this neonazi bullshit investigation) were killed (~1500 dead during that gas attack alone). They weren't supplied with gas masks, you see.
The newly arrived Latvian Superhero Brigade (as well as Siberian troops, but who cares about them) replaced the old troops and stayed there until the October of 1916. The Superhero Brigade lost 167 soldiers during that period (they did have the gas masks, in case you are interested).
Overall, the battle lasted since the fall of 1915 till the July of 1917.
>>968452
Pretty crazy to think they penetrated that far into Russia though.
>>968712
After writing it down, I felt need to say thanks man, haven't had possibility to talk bout history in aggressive and interesting debate like this in a while, anyway here comes my response.
>That's the smell of Freedom, you little neonazi shit.
AWwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww shit nigguh my bad, I guess you opened my Neonazi eyes. I guess I'll just go and suck on some black cock like you soc fag, 'cuz loving my nation and pointing out reality of how fucking minorities where exploited in the war of big boyz, makes me too much of Hitler-fag *sad face*.
>There were no "white generals" until 1918.
White generals are the same Csar generals bby. Same generals, same troops.
>So shut you filthy lying mouth.
Aw am I lying *sad face* spank me daddy, have I been wrong.. Mocking what I said about the Latvians (I told only Latvians, but that can be directed to any little nation) in previous post. Still "lying"?
>And here we have "The Defeat of German Horde by the Latvian Superhero Brigade" as presented to you by Easter European History Revisionists.
Nigguh, didn't you understand what I said? I ment it honestly - Latvia didn't have any power at that moment to face force like that.
>You never fought The Germany, you delusional freak, because the frontline stretched from Black Sea to Baltic Sea. It was not concentrated in Latvia alone.
Haha we never fought germany, who where they then? Ghosts n shit? I know that front stretched all across from fucking Baltic see to Black sea, but saying "You never fought them because because the frontline stretched from Black Sea to Baltic Sea" is kinda weird. With next sentence I must say that I do agree, I have never said that only fights have happened in Latvian territory, nor have I said other nations haven't suffered in war on east front.
>Especially because Latvia didn't even exist at the time.
Latvian nationality existed, how else could our nation appear? Same with Finland, Estonia,Lithuania...
1/2
>>968873
2/2
>Nāves sala
It had Russian troops, but in 1916. april 2nd Rīgas and 3rd Kurzemes battalions where sent to help them to hold positions. Each few weeks there was switch of units in tranches . When there where russians they where gassed. Latvians where sent in with gas masks, that didn't protect all of troops. More casualties, so on, so on.
Why did you bring this one out instead lie Ložmetēj kalns?
