The Storyline of World War One (1914-1918): The Great War: The Early Stages Of World War 1

The first battle that occurred on early of the war is The Battle of Tannenberg. The Russian army marched into Prussia in event of the attack on Serbia by Austria and German was only order mobilisation as the Russian has mobilised their army early than everyone else. However, because of the differences in railway gauge between Russia and Prussia it was horrible and defeat for the Russians as they can get the supplies through to their men. The Germans, on the other hand, used their railway system to surround the Russian Second army at Tannenberg before commander of the Russian Army could realise what was happening to them. The ensuing battle was a heavy defeat for the Russians with thousands of men killed and 125,000 taken prisoner. Although the Germans won the battle, 13,000 men were killed. Nevertheless, the first event of the war won by the German Army. In the late of 1914, the German advance through Belgium to France did not go as perfect as they had hoped. The Belgians put up a good resistances by destroying railway lines to slow the transport of German supplies and munitions. Despite French made a counter-attack that saw the casualties of many Frenchmen on the battlefields at Ardennes, the Germans continued to march into France without hesitation. They were stop by the allies army at the river of Marne. British troops had advanced from the northern coast of France to the Belgian town of Mons. Although they initially held off the Germans, they were soon forced to retreat. The British lost a huge number of men at the first battle of Ypres. By Christmas, all hopes that the war would be over had gone and the holiday saw men of both sides digging themselves into the trenches of the Western Front.