First World War: The Eastern Front opens

[IrishGunner]

100 Years Ago on 17 August, Russian armies invaded East Prussia, and were defeated at Battle of Stallupönen. The Battle of Stallupönen was the first battle of the First World War on the Eastern Front. Despite numerical superiority, the Russian army was defeated - and was forced back to the East Prussian frontier. The Germans then fell back to positions at Gumbinnen. It will only be a matter of days before the Russians are defeated again at Tannenberg and Hindenburg and Ludendorff rise to prominence.