Battle of Gumbinnen

Battle of Gunbinnen

Part of the Eastern Front during World War I

Eastern Front, August 17–23, 1914.

Date	August 20, 1914
Location	Gumbinnen, East Prussia (now Gusev, Russia) 54°36′N 22°12′E / 54.600°N 22.200°E / 54.600; 22.200Coordinates: 54°36′N 22°12′E / 54.600°N 22.200°E / 54.600; 22.200
Result	Russian victory German retreat

Belligerents

German Empire

Russian Empire

Commanders and leaders

Maximilian von Prittwitz

Units involved

I Army

Strength

148,800 men

192,000 men

Casualties and losses

14,607:
1,250 killed
6,414 wounded
6,943 prisoners

18,839 KIA, MIA, WIA

The Battle of Gumbinnen, initiated by forces of the German Empire on August 20, 1914, was a German offensive on the Eastern Front during the First World War. Because of the hastiness of the German attack, the Russian Army emerged victorious.

At the outbreak of the war, Maximilian von Prittwitz's orders were very strict and clear: his German Eighth Army was to remain in its positions in East Prussia, without attempting any offensive action, as all German efforts were to be concentrated on the Western Front against France, according to the Schlieffen Plan. In addition, should the Russians increase their pressure, he was authorized to fall back as far as the Vistula River, abandoning eastern Prussia.

The Eighth Army comprised four corps: I Corps (Hermann von François), XVII Corps (August von Mackensen), I Reserve Corps (Otto von Below), and XX Corps (Friedrich von Scholtz), plus 1st Cavalry Division, facing the Russian First Army (Paul von Rennenkampf) and Second Army (Alexander Samsonov). The Russians enjoyed considerable numerical superiority, but were hampered by significant deficiencies in their services of supply and field communications.

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