Blog 3: The Eastern Front

Define and describe the powers fighting on the Eastern theater. What were some similarities and differences between battles on the Western and Eastern Fronts? Be specific in your answer.

In the Eastern theater (front) of world War I, the powers fighting included Russia, Austria, and Germany.  The Russian Army was relatively well-trained and well-equipped, with sidearms, rifles, and machine guns equal to or better than the Austrians and Germans. However, they had problems with logistics -- specifically, the transportation infrastructure.  The Austro-Hungarian Army suffered from a lack of proper equipment and resources -- as well as reluctance to fight against Russians sharing their Slavic background. The German Army was very efficient, well-trained in battle maneuvers, and very skilled with artillery.

A key similarity between the battles on the Western and Eastern Fronts is that they both resulted in many casualties (millions of lives lost). Also, on each front, the battles began with one country launching a major offensive.  (On the Western Front, Germany was the initial aggressor with its "Schlieffen plan," while on the Eastern Front, Russia was the initial aggressor.) Additionally, both aggressors (Germany on the Western Front and Russia on the Eastern Front) were ultimately unsuccessful.  However, the battles differed in that those on the Western Front were less severe than those on the Eastern Front, as the latter involved tanks and other advanced weaponry.  Also, the aggressors on the two fronts lost for different reasons.  On the Western Front, the Russians primarily lost because of their inefficient supply system -- and because the Russian Army became demoralized by the catastrophes they suffered.  On the Eastern Front, the Germans primarily lost because of the new technology (tanks) adopted by the British and French.