The personification of german militarism general-field marshal p. Von hindenburg wrote in his autobiographical work, which is 210 thousand soldiers led by him in august 1914 in east prussia, the 8th army went into the battle with 800 thousand Russian soldiers [von hindenburg. Out of my life. London, 1920.
P. 87]. Russian troops reportedly had 1700 guns, and the german – 600. Could it be that with full information the honored general became a science fiction writer? of course not.
So why is he lying on the pages of their work? paul hindenburgplatz labor feldmarschallin that, first of all this is based on the german man in the street – in order to highlight your personal contribution to this strategic victory, at the same time humiliate his opponent. But not only for the german people – the book sold around the world. Dear field marshal though i did not realize that a number of the Russian grouping of his 8th army would not have saved any of his organizational advantages, no operational "Talent" e. Von ludendorff. Austrian historian v.
Rauscher, in our time wrote: "The 1st (neman) army, numbering 246 thousand people and 800 guns, cut off german forces from konigsberg, and 2 i (narewska) army, which had in its composition 289 thousand and 780 guns will prevent retreat of the german forces on the vistula. The german troops numbered only 210 thousand people and 600 guns and, of course, was weaker than the advancing" [rauscher v. Hindenburg. Field marshal and reich president.
M. , 2003. P. 41]. Fantastic and fantastic figures wander from one "Works". What was the number of opposing forces? the beginning of the Eastern prussia, the german 8th army consisted of 16 infantry divisions, or 210 thousand in 1044 guns (156 heavy). Later came reinforcements: the 11th army corps, guards reserve corps, 8th cavalry division arrived with the french army at the end of the operation, and the 1st division landerna (char) transferred from the Danish-german border at the time of the change of command of the 8th army, when the latter retreated after gumbinnen. In the Russian North-Western front to the beginning of the operation consisted of 17,5 8,5 infantry and cavalry divisions at 1100 the guns (including 36 heavy) - only 250 thousand people (of which 6,5 infantry and 5. 5 cavalry divisions - up to 100 thousand people in 402 guns in the 1st army; 11 infantry and 3 cavalry divisions - 150 thousand people in 702 guns in the 2nd army).
In addition to being a part of the operation to troops beginning to arrive in time, so even from the composition of the existing part of the troops were left to garrison service. Vtoroocherednoy infantry division and the cossack regiments, as well as heavy artbrigady to the beginning of the operation with the 1st army to arrive did not - and in fact, it had 96 battalions and 106 squadrons hundreds and. The composition of the 2nd army's 158 battalions, 72 squadrons and 626 guns. During surgery it was reduced - the 2nd army corps was given the 1st army.
But in the course of operations net profit 2 regiments (8 battalions) of the 3rd guards infantry division and 3 regiments (6 battalions) 1st infantry brigade. Thus, in the course of the battle the 2nd army really had 140 battalions, 72 squadrons and 506 guns. The balance of forces was not in favor of the North-Western front. The german 8th army was stronger than each of the Russian 1st and 2nd armies alone.
Given this fact, the germans had built his maneuver. Even more interesting insinuations present at the identification of losses surrounded the core of the 2nd army. The commander of the 1st army corps of the 8th army, general of infantry, von francois wrote that part of his joints seized 60 thousand prisoners and 231 cannon [francois h. Von. Tannenberg - das cannae des weltkrieges in wort und bild.
Berlin, 1926. S. 68]. Only the germans claim 92 thousand prisoners. Hermann von francois. Cover work general. But the environment was only half of the 150-strong army, and from the encirclement of the troops broke.
According to the report of the governmental commission on investigation of causes of death of the 2nd army, the loss of the 13th army corps - 656 officers and soldiers 37744 [collection of documents of the imperialist world war on the Russian front (1914-1917). The east prussian operation. M. , 1939. P.
580]. The losses of the 2nd infantry division, 23rd army corps: 226 officers and soldiers 12888 [p. 593]. The loss of the 15th army corps, the report indicated, but given the number of people who came from the environment: 132 officers and the rank and about 6200 soldiers [p.
586] (the corps on 1 august it was 45 thousand. P. 505. ). Assuming a 100% loss of the life guards kexholmsky regiment - 4 thousand people (from out of the battle with only 198 people), then we obtain the total number of losses of compounds surrounded at least 94 thousand people.
But this is the total loss of these compounds during the entire operation since the fighting started. They entered the dead, the wounded, who were evacuated to the rear missing. Some of the soldiers and officers out of the encirclement later. From the part surrounded in groundlessly forest 2,5 corps of the 2nd army group of three broke (including the 21st murom infantry regiment at full strength), one (20 thousand people) gave up, the third was killed in the battle – thus the total losses of the strike group of the 2nd army in the east prussian "Pot" after removal of civilians and prisoners of the germans can be defined in 50 thousand. This is the real figure for 5 divisions of incomplete composition.
Operational map in the materials of reichsarchiv indicating the number of Russian groups surrendered tá nnenbergskaya "Pot" indicates that 44 thousand prisoners [weltkrieg 1914 – 1918. V. 2. Karte 11.
Schlacht bei tannenberg]. T. O, the figure of 90 thousand prisoners (of which two - thirds contribution of the 1st army corps) in no case can not be attributed only to the 2nd army a. V. Samsonov's loss of the two armies of the front for a longer period of time (including the first battle of the masurian lakes).
Trend inflation by some german historians of the losses of the 2nd army is counting the captured guns, which were supposedly 350 units. Consisting of the 1st, 2nd, 6th, 8th, 36th artillery brigades, 13th and 15th mortar artillery battalions and the 3rd battery of the 3rd guards artillery brigade, there were 272 guns (excluding combat losses in the artillery). Thus, when you capture parts of 2,5 surrounded in groundlessly forest corps, the germans could not capture 350 guns just because there's so much not there. If you try to add artillery the losses of the other compounds of the 2nd army, which surrounded not hit (flanking corps) we get the following picture: july 25, 6 guns left to the enemy, the 4th cavalry division in the battle belconnen, 13 aug, 16 guns the germans captured from bischofsburg, august 15, 4 guns left 3rd guards artillery brigade of soldau.
The volume increases to 298 guns, but 350 in any case it is impossible. A senior aide of staff of the 8th infantry division of p. N. Karlin cited the following figures of the losses of the 2nd army artillery: environment 272, and the operation 304 guns (including 52 disabled) [bogdanovich p.
N. The invasion of east pRussia in august 1914 memoirs of an officer of the general staff of the army of general samsonov. Buenos aires, 1964. P.
254]. The book "Breakthrough of the Russian carpathian front of the doves - tarnów in 1915," is one of the official journals of the field of the german general staff, which appeared from the end of 1917 the book's cover. The essay describes gorlitskiy operation after breaking through the austro-german forces to the river san – ie the period 19 april - 7 may 1915, the author constantly mentions the "Powerful Russian fortified positions", "Huge Russian forces" etc. But it was just exactly the opposite – none of the operations of the world war was not such an overwhelming superiority against the austro-german troops against your opponent. They were superior to the 3rd army of the SouthWestern front in men and in guns in 2. 5 times, 4 times in an easy and 40 times in the heavy artillery.
Catastrophic was the difference in the amount of ammunition at the disposal of the parties - the austro-german artillery had 1,200 shells for easy and up to 600 shells for heavy guns, while the Russian - 30-40 shells on the artillery gun. Of course, this strategic conjuncture any special talent on the part of the german command was not needed - yes it manifest and was not. However, the troops of the german 11th army to boast had nothing: the author is unable to disguise the fact that every time the german infantry met a Russian without the support of his artillery, her actions, or was unsuccessful, or success bought too high a price. For the german artillery, the lack of opposition from the Russian gave her a unique opportunity to travel in line of battle, and almost direct fire from open positions with impunity push his infantry forward. The author acknowledges that the success of this operation was based on a reduced combat capability tired during the carpathian battles of the Russian troops, and especially on the weakness devoid of munitions of the Russian artillery.
The second of the august operations 25 january - 13 february 1915 (for the germans – "Winter battle in masuria") is especially rich (after the east prussian operation of 1914) fantasies of german propaganda about the trophies taken and the "Destruction" of the regular Russian army. On the one hand, it is not surprising – there is a second case of successful operation on the environment, though in more modest sizes (one case). Colonel g. Von redern cited the following fantastic figures of the german trophies of 110,000 prisoners, 300 guns, several hundred machine guns, a lot of property and even.
Cash drawer [return g. Background. Winter operation in the masurian lake district. Pb. , 1921.
P. 53]. About 110 thousand prisoners wrote and erich ludendorff [e. Ludendorff, my war memories 1914-1918.
M. – mn. , 2005. P. 127].
Of this amount, 30 thousand prisoners – from the 20th army corps [return g. Ibid. P. 52]. Cover labor g.
Redeman where 110 thousand prisoners,.
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