Stories of the Forgotten Heroes

1915

The new year begins on the Easter Front with ominous signs. The KuK (Imperial and Royal Army in German) prepared an offensive against the Tsarist troops in Galicia-Lodomeria. The aim is to push the enemy as far as possible from the old Austrian borders and cause the collapse of the Russian Front. The Fort of Przemyśl remains under siege, a common occurrence during this war, with the Austrian defenders still repulsing the waves of enemy troops. The fort will become a symbol of the grinding nature of the war in this part of the world, exchanging hands several times. The Chief of the Austrian Army, Konrad von Hotzendorf does not accept that the Austrian morale has nearly collapsed due to the gruesome casualties in the previous months which left his army but a shadow of their former self. To make matters worse, the supply lines are overextended and poorly run. Relying mostly on horses since the region of Galicia was in the process of modernization shortly before the war after the discovery of oil, thus lacking the vital railway hubs its German ally had, leading to the KuK troops being barely fed and supplied with the vital ammunition they sorely needed. In this catastrophic climate, he orders the attack - leaving the mountains behind. After some initial success, mainly brought with the help of some German commanders only serving as aides to the Austrians at this time in the war, the Central Powers will once again bog down in the region. Despite this, neither Russia will register any kind of success due to the poor coordination between the generals.

In Central Europe, the Germans and the Austrians hear with horror that their former ally, the Kingdom of Italy has left neutrality and joined the war effort on the side of the Entente. Enticed by the prospect of expanding their rule over the Alto Adige, Gorizia, Istria, Trieste, and the Dalmatian Coast, the Italian government made the choice that seemed the most reasonable. The already overextended Austro—Hungarian Empire was fighting by the Summer of 1915 on three fronts without gaining the upper hand in either of the previous ones. As presented above, the Eastern Front proved to be a deadly stalemate with few possibilities for advance. In Serbia, the proud and stout defenders kept them at bay, the geography of their country being more at play rather than the quality of the equipment. The promises which the Russians had made for the Serbs before the July Crisis also proved unfeasible, since the Russian Empire barely had the equipment to cover their own needs. It is thus remarkable that a nation dwarfed by its massive neighbor managed to maintain an efficient defense. By the end of the year, the Kingdom of Serbia and Montenegro fell to the Austrians with massive help and coordination from Imperial Germany. Austrians and Hungarians watched in disbelief as the year closed for it was now evident that their empire was becoming less of an equal partner of the Germans and more of a junior subject.

On the Western Front France and Britain attempt to push the Germans at Neuve-Chapelle, Arras, and in Champagne. The trenches have begun to fossilize in the landscape, creating the remarkable and truly disturbing images which survive to our day. Both the Entente and Germany attempt without success to break the enemy, gaining only casualties with little to show for it. During this year the Germans will release poisonous gas at the First Battle of Ypres, a first in modern history, whilst the French discover through various attempts at breaking the Germans the strategy which will later win them the war. Blind to its use, and conservative in their thinking, the Entente will miss a vital opportunity, whilst the Germans assimilate it with lightning speed.

In the battlefields of Asia, history will once again be written in blood. The Caucasus is witness to two ancestral enemies fighting over Ottoman Armenia. Encouraged by the Russians to sabotage and revolt against their overlords, the Christian Armenians begin a covert campaign that will prove ill-fated once the Russian Empire erupted into Civil War, but in 1915 it provides their allies with much-needed support. Throughout the year, the Russians will manage to maintain their frontlines against the Ottomans at a great cost of life and push further inland the Ottomans. This doesn't represent the only problem for the ailing Empire for the British have invaded Mesopotamia through modern-day Kuwait. The aim is to push through to Baghdad in hopes of causing a collapse of the Ottoman Empire. At Gallipoli, the ANZACs, along with the French have landed close to the capital, Constantinople. This campaign will prove not only extremely dramatic, with tales of heroism abounding on both sides, but also instrumental in the downfall of Winston Churchill and the rise of Mustafa Kemal, a Young Turk who will one day lead the Turkish Republic.

Back in the East, during the Summer-Autumn of 1915, German troops led by August von Mackensen find unhoped success. The hardened troops obliterate the Russians in battle after battle with the Tsarist High Command unable to stop the petty squabbling to resist the enemy. Mounting futile counterattacks which only increase the number of their dead, the Russians are on the verge of breaking point. The operation began with massive attacks in what is now Central Poland (at the time it was called Congress Poland), one of the aims being that of bringing relief to the fighting Austrians but it will stop in modern-day Belarus. The German offensive provides some insight into the early concept of Blitzkrieg which the Germans will fully develop during the 1930s and 40s. The main disadvantage of the Central Powers, for now even Austria-Hungary has managed to have some limited success, is the poor infrastructure. Mackensen is most of the time forced to wait for the supply line to reach them, which infuriates him. Incapacitated, for the time being, the Russians regroup and prepare for 1916 with fresh powers and hopes of finally winning the war for their Father, the Czar.