Changes

| image      =

| image      =

| conflict    =  

| conflict    =  

| date        =

| date        =August 26-30, 1914

| location    =

| location    =Near Allenstein and Neidenburg, [[East Prussia]] (modern-day Olsztyn and Nidzica, [[Poland]])

| combatant1  =

| combatant1  =[[Germany]]

| combatant2  =

| combatant2  =[[Russian Empire]]

| commander1  =

| commander1  =[[Paul von Hindenburg]]<br>[[Erich Ludendorff]]<br>Hermann von François<br>Max Hoffmann

| commander2  =  

| commander2  =Alexander Samsonov<br>Paul von Rennenkampf

| strength1  =  

| strength1  =German Eighth Army (150,000)

| strength2  =  

| strength2  =Russian Second Army (180,000)

| casualties1 =  

| casualties1 =12-14,000 killed or wounded

| casualties2 =  

| casualties2 =92,000 captured, 78,000 killed or wounded

}}

}}

The '''Battle of Tannenberg''' was the climax to the opening clash between [[Imperial Germany]] and the [[Russian Empire]] following the outbreak of [[World War I]]. It was fought between August 26-30, 1914, chiefly around the East Prussian city of Allenstein, and resulted in a crushing victory for the German forces under Field Marshal [[Paul von Hindenburg]] and his chief of staff, [[Erich Ludendorff]], with the Russian Second Army almost completely destroyed and its commander, Alexander Samsonov, committing suicide. From a military as well as a political perspective, Tannenberg was among the most important military contests of the war for Germany, as it not only repulsed a Russian invasion of eastern Germany and the threat of a quick defeat, but also elevated Hindenburg and Ludendorff to the status of national heroes. The aura created by their victory would become the basis of their rise to near-dictatorial power in Germany toward the end of the war.

The '''Battle of Tannenberg''' was the climax to the opening clash between [[Imperial Germany]] and the [[Russian Empire]] following the outbreak of [[World War I]]. It was fought between August 26-30, 1914, chiefly around the East Prussian city of Allenstein, and resulted in a crushing victory for the German forces under Field Marshal [[Paul von Hindenburg]] and his chief of staff, [[Erich Ludendorff]], with the Russian Second Army almost completely destroyed and its commander, Alexander Samsonov, committing suicide. From a military as well as a political perspective, Tannenberg was among the most important military contests of the war for Germany, as it not only repulsed a Russian invasion of eastern Germany and the threat of a quick defeat, but also elevated Hindenburg and Ludendorff to the status of national heroes. The aura created by their victory would become the basis of their rise to near-dictatorial power in Germany toward the end of the war.