Aug 7-9: The First and Second Russian invade the German province of East Prussia. The speed of the advance shocks the German command, which has only 10 divisions to defend in the East.

August 15-24: The Battle of Cer: Serbian troops defeat the Austro-Hungarian army.

August 20th: The Battle of Gumbinnen, East Prussia. German forces attempt to stop the advancing Russian 1st Army. The attack fails and the Germans are forced to retreat

Aug 23- Sept 11: The Austrian 1st and 4th Armies defeat Russian forces in northern Galacia. However, the Russians decisively defeat the Austrian 2rd and 3rd Armies in southern Galacia. The Austro-Hungarian army is forced to retreat to the Carpathian Mountains

August 26-30: In a crushing defeat the Russian Second Army is surrounded and nearly wiped out by the German Ninth Army at the Battle of Tannenberg, East Prussia.

Sept 7-28: The Battle of the Mausurian Lakes - The German Ninth Army nearly encircles the Russian 1st Army The Russians are forced to retreat, abandoning East Prussia. As German forces pursue the retreating Russians, a Russian counter-attack forces Germans back to pre-war Russian-German border

Oct 9 - 31: The Battle of the Vistula River. The German Ninth Army attempts to invade Poland and capture Warsaw. Four Russian armies block their advance at the Vistula River and force the Germans to withdraw to avoid being encircled.

Nov 11 - Dec 6 : The Battle of Lodz. German Ninth Army breaks through Russian defences between Warsaw and Lodz and threatens to encircle the entire Russian Second Army. Russians abandon Lodz and set up new defensive line closer to Warsaw for the winter.

December 2: Austro-Hungarian forces occupy Belgrade, Serbia. The Serbians recapture the city on December 15h.

By Christmas, 1914, the Eastern Front had stabilized as both sides constructed trench lines for the winter stretching from the Baltic Sea to Rumania. By December, 1914 casualties on the Eastern Front had been horrendous. The Russians had suffered over 600,00 killed or wounded and a further 130,000 as prisoners of war. The Austro-Hungarians had lost 380,000 killed or wounded with 120,000 as POWs. Their German allies had lost a further 110,000 killed or wounded.