The Year 1914

On 21 November, in East Prussia, the Russian 10th Army took Gumbinnen.

In Poland, the German 9th Army attacked the Russians at Lovich.

On the Southwest Front in Galicia, the advance by the Russian 3rd Army forced the Austro-Hungarians to evacuate their headquarters at Neu Sandec.

On 22 November, in Poland, elements of the German 9th Army approached the suburbs of Lodz. The German XX Reserve Corps met stiff resistance from fresh Russian reinforcements. The arriving Russian 1st Army began encircling the Germans. Lintzmann's German Guard Division took Brzheze, east of Lodz.

On the Southwest Front in Galicia, the Austro-Hungarians lost 6,000 prisoners to the Russians in heavy fighting between Krakau and Chenstokhov, as the Russian 4th and 9th Armies continued their advance.

On the Caucasian Front, Russian troops occupied Koprukoi.

On 23 November, in Poland, von Mackensen's forces cracked the Russian line between Rzgov and Kolyushki, southeast of Lodz. The German XXV Reserve Corps was forced to pull back across the Miazga River, barely saved by Lintzmann's Guard Division. The XXV Reserve Corps lost half its strength, but still took 16,000 Russian prisoners. The Russians had won a tactical victory at Lodz, but withdrew and abandoned the city.

On the Southwest Front, General Bohm-Ermolli's Austro-Hungarian 2nd Army, with the IV and XII Corps, had been transferred from the Carpathian Front to front sector north of Chenstokhov, between the German 9th and Austro-Hungarian 1st Army.

In Warsaw, Roman Dmowski, leader of the National Democrats (a nationalist Polish, pro-Russian, anti-German and anti-Semitic party in Russian Poland), organized a Polish National Committee to support the Imperial war effort.

On 24 November, in Poland, more Russian reinforcements arrived just in time to stem von Mackensen's offensive. Heavy fighting continued in the Strykov and Lodz regions. The Russians formed a line behind the Bzura and Ravka Rivers. German airship Z IV carried out a bombing raid on military installations around Warsaw.

The Year 1914

On 25 November, in Poland, the Russians nearly encircled three German Divisions at Lodz, who managed to escape due to a delay by the Russian 1st Army. Rennenkampf was severely shaken by events, abandoned his command and left for Kovno. He was replaced on 3 December by General A.I. Litvinov, with his Chief of Staff General I.Z. Odishalidze.

On the Southwest Front, Russian 8th Army cavalry units attempted to invade Hungary over the Carpathian Mountains. General Boroevic's Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army, with the XII, III, and VII Corps, attempted to hold back the Russians.

The Polish National Council in Warsaw issued a manifesto declaring the necessity for a total German defeat.

On 26 November, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-Hungarians evacuated Czernowitz, which was captured by the Russians on the following day.

Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Josef rejected General Conrad von Hoetzendorf's proposal to impose military rule in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia.

On 27 November, the Kaiser promoted von Hindenburg to General Field Marshall. In Berlin, the German Foreign Ministry agreed with opinion of General Falkenhayn that victory could only be achieved if Germany concluded peace with one of the principal partners of the Entente and that it would be most desirable if a wedge could be driven between their enemies.

German missions in neutral countries soon became active supporting revolutionary movements to weaken Tsarist Russia by disruptive revolutionary movements both nationalist and socialist. In mid-January 1915, the Germans laid plans for further agitation. In early March, two million marks were allocated for support of Russian revolutionary propaganda. In early July 1915, another five million marks were made available. The Germans used an agent, A.I. Helphand (known as Parvus) to disperse these funds.

On 28 November, in Poland, the Russians heavily defeated the Germans at Brzheze near Lodz.

On the Southwest Front in Galicia, General Brusilov's Russian 8th Army pushed the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army back from the Beskids and secured the Carpathian Passes.

In Vienna, there were rumors that Russian troops were within 12 km of Krakau.

The Year 1914

On 29 November, the Germans heavily bombarded Lodz in Poland.

At a Military Conference, Russian Commander in Chief Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich and his front commanders agreed to a Southwest Front plan for a Brusilov offensive in the direction of Krakau.

On 30 November, General Brusilov's Russian 8th Army stood west of the Carpathians. The Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army planned to take a stand at Eperjes.

Tsar Nicholas II left Tsarskoe Selo for an inspection tour of the war zone.

On 1 December, in Poland, there was heavy fighting by the German 9th Army and Russian 2nd Army in the suburbs of Lodz. Russia ordered mobilization of students.

The Germans in the East began receiving reinforcements from the Allied Western Front, with four Corps led by Generals von Beseler, von Fabeck, von Linsingen and von Gerok.

On the Caucasian Front, Russian troops captured Sarai and Bashkal.

On 2 December, on the Southwest Front, the Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army struck north from Tilets, forcing the Russian 8th Army back in the Carpathians. The Russian 3rd Army began an advance on Krakau in the direction of Vieliczka.

On the Caucasian Front, the Russian I Caucasian Corps advanced on Kopri. The Turkish 3rd Army counter-attacked with their IX and XI Corps, causing heavy Russian casualties.

At Breslau, high level discussions were held on the course of the war with the Kaiser, Austro-Hungarian Arch Dukes Frederick and Charles, Hindenburg, Ludendorff and Conrad's aide-de-camp Kundmann taking part. The Austro-Hungarians pushed for decisive action in the east, while the Germans stressed their problems in the west.

On 3 December, on the Southwest Front, Conrad's Austro-Hungarian 3rd Army forced the Russians to fall back west of the Dunajec River, taking Limanova and Lapanov.

The Tsar left Stavka to visit hospitals at Smolensk. A German bombing raid on Warsaw killed three civilians.

On 4 December, on the Southwest Front, the Russians advanced on Krakau, capturing Vieliczka. The Tsar traveled from Smolensk to visit the hospital in Tula, on the 5th he arrived in Orel, then to Kursk, and on the 6th to Kharkov to inspect medical facilities.