Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive

1915: May 2

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The Gorlice-Tarnow offensive began in early May 1915 when a combined Austro-German force drove the Russian army out of the area south-east of Kraków, ending nine months of Russian advances. Struggling Austria-Hungary had appealed to its larger ally for help and the combined efforts were devastating for the Russians who began a large scale withdrawal, known as the Great Retreat of 1915.

The Russians were first driven out of Gorlice and then Tarnów. During the following ten days of battle and swift retreat thousands lay dead on the battlefield and 143,500 were taken prisoner.

By the end of the summer the entire area of Poland was entirely in Austro-German hands.