August 26–30, 1914Reputable source · 2 sourcesWell documented
The Battle of Tannenberg
On the timeline · around August 26–30, 1914 ·
What happened
On the Eastern Front, a Russian invasion of German East Prussia ended in disaster at Tannenberg, where German forces under Hindenburg and Ludendorff encircled and destroyed the Russian Second Army, taking tens of thousands of prisoners.
Why it matters
Tannenberg was one of Germany's greatest victories of 1914 and made national heroes of Hindenburg and Ludendorff, who would come to dominate the German war effort.
Sources
- National Army Museum. Battle of Tannenberg · Reputable source
- Imperial War Museums. The Eastern Front in the First World War · Reputable source