Alexander Samsonov Biography

Birth of Alexander Samsonov

Given command of the Russian Second Army

Given command of the Russian Second Army

Given command of the Russian Second Army

With his Second Army virtually destroyed, of a total of 150,000 men under his command less than 10,000 escaped German capture, Samsonov, lost in wooded terrain, and unable to face reporting the scale of the disaster to Tsar Nicholas II, commits suicide

With his Second Army virtually destroyed, of a total of 150,000 men under his command less than 10,000 escaped German capture, Samsonov, lost in wooded terrain, and unable to face reporting the scale of the disaster to Tsar Nicholas II, commits suicide. Shoots himself after the Battle of Tannenberg

With his Second Army virtually destroyed, of a total of 150,000 men under his command less than 10,000 escaped German capture, Samsonov, lost in wooded terrain, and unable to face reporting the scale of the disaster to Tsar Nicholas II, commits suicide

With his Second Army virtually destroyed, of a total of 150,000 men under his command less than 10,000 escaped German capture, Samsonov, lost in wooded terrain, and unable to face reporting the scale of the disaster to Tsar Nicholas II, commits suicide

Leads the Second Army, 13 divisions & 5 corps, in the ill-fated invasion of Prussia

Leads the Second Army, 13 divisions & 5 corps, in the ill-fated invasion of Prussia

Tasked, along with Paul von Rennenkampf, commander of First Army, with the Russian invasion of East Prussia. Russias invasion of East Prussia, part of pre-war strategy, Plan 19, is two-pronged, Rennenkampfs First Army, of 200,000 men, enters East Prussia from the north while General Samsonovs Second Army invades from the south

Tasked, along with Paul von Rennenkampf, commander of First Army, with the Russian invasion of East Prussia. Russias invasion of East Prussia, part of pre-war strategy, Plan 19, is two-pronged, Rennenkampfs First Army, of 200,000 men, enters East Prussia from the north while General Samsonovs Second Army invades from the south

Tasked, along with Paul von Rennenkampf, commander of First Army, with the Russian invasion of East Prussia. Russias invasion of East Prussia, part of pre-war strategy, Plan 19, is two-pronged, Rennenkampfs First Army, of 200,000 men, enters East Prussia from the north while General Samsonovs Second Army invades from the south

Russias invasion of East Prussia, part of pre-war strategy, Plan 19, is two-pronged, Rennenkampfs First Army, of 200,000 men, enters East Prussia from the north while General Samsonovs Second Army invades from the south

Samsonov runs into a German trap, 1st day of the Battle of Tannenberg

Samsonovs Second Army starts to advance into East Prussia

Samsonovs Second Army starts to advance into East Prussia

Invades Germany near the village of Tannenberg

Invades Germany near the village of Tannenberg

Withdraws to Tannenberg. The Russians are stopped by the German XX corps. The Germans know the Russian positions because of Samsonovs uncoded radio messages. Russia withdraws to Tannenberg. bu the Germans know Russian positions because they decode radio messages. Attacks East Prussia & defeats the Germans

Zhilinsky orders Samsonov to stop "acting the coward & resume the offensive"

The Germans advance to Tannenberg to trap the Russian Army

The Russian centre moves into a trap & is overwhelmed by the German VIII Army. Shoots himself after the Battle of Tannenberg. Decisive German victory under Hindenburg & Ludendorf against Russia in East Prussia. 2 Russian corps, 13th, 15th & 23rd are trapped

Hindenburg drives Samsonovs army back to Hohenstein

Hindenburg takes 90,000 prisoners & several hundred guns

Poor communications with both Stavka headquarters and, more specifically, with First Army commander Rennenkampf (with whom Samsonov had a personal quarrel), led to Samsonovs forces being encircled by the German Eighth Army under Hindenburg and Ludendorf. Only 60,000 Russian troops escape.

Samsonov is surrounded on 3 sides by Hindenburgs army & by swamps & lakes.

With his Second Army virtually destroyed, of a total of 150,000 men under his command less than 10,000 escaped German capture, Samsonov, lost in wooded terrain, and unable to face reporting the scale of the disaster to Tsar Nicholas II, commits suicide.

Poor communications with both Stavka headquarters and, more specifically, with First Army commander Rennenkampf (with whom Samsonov had a personal quarrel), led to Samsonovs forces being encircled by the German Eighth Army under Hindenburg and Ludendorf

Poor communications with both Stavka headquarters and, more specifically, with First Army commander Rennenkampf (with whom Samsonov had a personal quarrel), led to Samsonovs forces being encircled by the German Eighth Army under Hindenburg and Ludendorf

With his Second Army virtually destroyed, of a total of 150,000 men under his command less than 10,000 escaped German capture, Samsonov, lost in wooded terrain, and unable to face reporting the scale of the disaster to Tsar Nicholas II, commits suicide

Poor communications with both Stavka headquarters and, more specifically, with First Army commander Rennenkampf (with whom Samsonov had a personal quarrel), led to Samsonovs forces being encircled by the German Eighth Army under Hindenburg and Ludendorf

With his Second Army virtually destroyed, of a total of 150,000 men under his command less than 10,000 escaped German capture, Samsonov, lost in wooded terrain, and unable to face reporting the scale of the disaster to Tsar Nicholas II, commits suicide

The Russian Second Army disintegrates, Samsonov shoots himself

The Russian Second Army disintegrates, Samsonov shoots himself

Poor communications with both Stavka headquarters and, more specifically, with First Army commander Rennenkampf (with whom Samsonov had a personal quarrel), led to Samsonovs forces being encircled by the German Eighth Army under Hindenburg and Ludendorf

Poor communications with both Stavka headquarters and, more specifically, with First Army commander Rennenkampf (with whom Samsonov had a personal quarrel), led to Samsonovs forces being encircled by the German Eighth Army under Hindenburg and Ludendorf