Second Battle of the Masurian Lakes

A German offensive in February 1915 that drove Russian forces from East Prussia during World War I. It ended the Russian threat to German territory there but did not destroy the Russian army.

Battle of Łódź: A major 1914 battle on the Eastern Front in which German forces failed to encircle Russian troops near Łódź. Its attempted encirclement foreshadowed the maneuver German commanders sought to achieve in East Prussia.
Russian invasion of East Prussia: The Russian Empire’s 1914 military campaign into East Prussia during World War I. The offensive reversed the Russian presence created by this earlier invasion.
Siege of Kovno: A 1915 German siege that captured the Russian fortress of Kovno, now Kaunas, in Lithuania. The recapture of East Prussia preceded Germany’s later advance into Russian territory.
East Prussia: A historic region on the southeastern Baltic coast, formerly part of Prussia and later Germany. German forces sought to clear Russian troops from this border region.
Paul von Hindenburg: A German field marshal who became a leading commander on the Eastern Front during World War I. He commanded the German forces conducting the offensive.
Battle of Tannenberg: An August 1914 battle in which German forces encircled and defeated much of Russia’s Second Army in East Prussia. Its victory secured German control of East Prussia before the renewed Russian advance.
Gorlice–Tarnów Offensive: A 1915 Central Powers offensive that broke through Russian lines in Galicia and triggered a major Russian retreat. It followed the East Prussian fighting as part of the Central Powers’ wider gains that year.
Masurian Lakes: A lake district in northeastern Poland, known for its interconnected lakes and waterways. The lakes and surrounding terrain gave the campaign its name and shaped movement.
Erich Ludendorff: A German general who helped direct the German war effort on the Eastern Front and later across the empire. As Hindenburg’s chief of staff, he helped plan the campaign.
First Battle of the Masurian Lakes: A September 1914 battle in which German forces drove Russian troops out of much of East Prussia. The later offensive renewed the same contest after Russian forces returned to the region.

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