Battles Of WWI
A Look At Some Of The Famous Battles Of WWI
The legacy of WWI is trench fighting, chemical attacks, and the early use of submarines, airplanes, and tanks. With fighting on land, at sea, and increasingly in the air, WWI dragged on with few decisive victories for four years. It was also, up to that time, Europe’s most deadly conflict, with a loss of 20 million lives—and the bulk of fighting took place in some of these notable battles.
Battle Of Mons
The first conflict to involve multiple nations since the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, the Battle of Mons took place in Belgium on August 23, 1914, with a British force of about 75,000 fighting an estimated 150,000 Germans. The goal was to hold the Mons-Conde Canal.
Battle Of Mons
This battle took place in the opening weeks of WWI. The British were overpowered and retreated. This was a victory for Germany, giving rise to the belief in Germany that this would all be over in a matter of months. There were a combined 6,600 losses on both sides.
Battle Of Tannenberg
Another victory for Germany, this was the German Empire’s biggest win on the Eastern Front against Russia. From August 26 to August 30, 1914, the Russians advanced on the Germans in what was then German East Prussia (now Poland). At first, the Russians had the upper hand, with Germans briefly retreating from their positions.
Battle Of Tannenberg
The Germans intercepted unencrypted radio messages from the Russians and were able to reorganize their strategy with the knowledge of Russian plans. This forced the Russians into retreat, with the Germans in pursuit. The Russians suffered losses of around 30,000, with another 90,000 taken prisoner.
