1. W ORLD W AR I M AJOR B ATTLES OF THE E ASTERN AND W ESTERN F RONTS

2. E ASTERN F RONT Battle of Tannenberg Conflict between Russia and Germany Russia’s 1 st and 2 nd Armies vs. Germany’s 8 th Army Fought from August 17 to September 2, 1914 Russian armies tried to cross into Prussia to take control of a city named Koenigsberg. Encirclement and destruction led to the fall of the Russian 2 nd Army led by General Samsonov. First major German victory of the war.

3. B ATTLE OF T ANNENBERG

4. E ASTERN F RONT The First Battle of the Masurian Lakes September 9 through September 14, 1914 The battle was fought in East Prussia. Russian 1 st Army vs. German 8 th Army Basically a sequel of the Battle of Tannenberg because the German 8 th Army attacked the Russian 1 st Army after they retreated to a city named Angerburg. The German 8 th Army (led by Paul von Hindenburg and Erich Ludendorff) defeated the Russian 1 st Army. Russians lost 125,000 soldiers in this battle.

5. T HE F IRST B ATTLE OF M ASURIAN L AKES

6. W ESTERN F RONT Battle of Somme July 1 through November 18, 1916 The battle was fought in Somme River Valley, France British Empire & France (Allied Powers) vs. German Empire (Central Powers) The plan was for the British 4 th Army to breach the German trench line that was occupied by the German 2 nd Army. The British 3 rd Army and French 6 th Army were armed and ready for back up. It was not easy breaching the German trench line so on July 1, 1916 the Allied forces launched an attack. British forces lost over 58,000 soldiers on the first day. Overall 420,000 British soldiers, 200,000 French soldiers, and 500,000 German soldiers lives were lost.

7. B ATTLE OF S OMME British Trench during the battle.

8. W ESTERN F RONT The First Battle of Marne September 6 through September 10, 1914 This battle took place on the banks of the Marne River in France. France (Allied) & Britain (Allied) vs. Germany (Central) The British Expeditionary Force and the French 5 th and 6 th Armies launched an offensive against the German 1 st and 2 nd Armies. There was a gap in between the two German Armies so the Allied forces filled in the gap and caused the Germans to retreat rather quickly over a few days. This was an Allied Power victory for this battle.

9. F IRST B ATTLE OF M ARNE German soldiers during the battle.