It is idle to ask the question: " Would it have resulted in a victory at Tannenberg if the Commanders had not been changed ? " I think : Yes-though perhaps not to so complete a victory, for the old chief commanders, as former experiences had shown, did not possess the necessary energy. How would the situation develop if these mighty movements and the enemy’s superiority in numbers delayed the decision for days? Is it surprising that misgivings filled many a heart, that firm resolution began to yield to vacillation, and that doubts crept in where a clear vision had hitherto prevailed? Would it not be wiser to strengthen our line facing Rennenkampf again and be content with half-measures against Samsonov? Was it not better to abandon the idea of destroying the Narew Army in order to ensure ourselves against destruction. the crisis of the battle now approached. If this first blow was not final the danger for our homeland would become like a lingering disease, the burnings and murders in East Prussia would remain unavenged, and our Allies in the south would wait for us in vain.
#SIGNIFICANCE OF TANNENBERG BATTLE FREE#
Only thus could we really and completely free our old Prussian land and be in a position to do something else which was expected of us-intervene in the mighty battle for a decision that was raging between Russia and our Austro-Hungarian ally in Galicia and Poland. Only thus could we get a free hand to deal with the second enemy, Rennenkampf, who was even then plundering and burning East Prussia.
We had not merely to win a victory over Samsonov.
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