Painting depicting Russian and German soldiers engaged in close-quarter combat, ca. 1914. Artist: @kinzerdays. Today 109 years ago, on August 20, 1914, the Battle of Gumbinnen began on the Eastern Front. Following the German success in the Battle of Stallupönen on August 17, 1914, General von Prittwitz, German Commander in the East, was convinced that his 8th Army could defeat the Russian 1st and 2nd Armies, despite their numerical disadvantage. On August 19, an advancing Russian cavalry unit engaged a German infantry regiment stationed near Gumbinnen (Gusev today), initially pushing them back, but the Russians were forced to retreat once they expended their ammunition. Disobeying orders from the German High Command of not launching any offensives on the Eastern Front, General von Prittwitz then ordered his troops to counter-attack the retreating Russians. On August 20, 1914, the German 1st Army Corps attacked the Russian 28th Infantry Division along a 36 km front at Gumbinnen, the Rus...