Austria-Hungary and Germany (Military Occupation)

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Establishment

• November 1914: Front at the Battle of Lodz.
• December 1914: After the battle of Lodz in 1914, the Eastern Front of World War I stabilized between the cities of Lodz and Warsaw.

Chronology

Interactive Chronologies with maps are available in the section Changes Navigation

1. World War I

Was a global conflict between two coalitions, the Allies (primarily France, the United Kingdom, Russia, Italy, Japan, and the United States) and the Central Powers (led by Germany, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire). It was mainly caused by the competition of the western countries over domain in Europe and in the rest of the world with their colonial empires. The war ended with the defeat of the Central Powers. The war also caused the Russian Revolution and the ensuing Russian Civil War.

1.1. World War I eastern Front

Was the theatre of war in eastern Europe during World War I.

• February 1915: Russian advancement on the Eastern front by 7th February.
• January 1916: During the first year of the war, German and Austrian troops quickly conquered the Russian Vistula Land, the former Congress Poland, and in 1915, divided its administration between a German Governor General in Warsaw and an Austrian counterpart in Lublin.
• February 1918: The Council of Lithuania declared Lithuania's independence on February 16, 1918. The country was de facto occupied by German troops all the time.

1.1.1. Battle of Galicia

Was a major battle between Russia and Austria-Hungary during the early stages of World War I. The Austro-Hungarian armies were severely defeated and forced out of Galicia.

• November 1914: Front at the Battle of Lodz.
• December 1914: After the battle of Lodz in 1914, the Eastern Front of World War I stabilized between the cities of Lodz and Warsaw.

1.1.2. Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive

The Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive during World War I was initially conceived as a minor German offensive to relieve Russian pressure on the Austro-Hungarians to their south on the Eastern Front, but resulted in the Central Powers' chief offensive effort of 1915, causing the total collapse of the Russian lines and their retreat far into Russia.

• June 1915: Border changes during the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive.
• July 1915: Border changes during the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive.
• August 1915: Border changes during the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive.
• September 1915: Border changes during the Gorlice-Tarnów Offensive.

1.1.3. Brusilov Offensive

Was a major Russian offensive against the Central Powers during World War I.

• June 1916: Russian conquests of the Brusilov Offensive.
• June 1916: Russian conquests of the Brusilov Offensive.
• July 1916: Russian conquests of the Brusilov Offensive.
• September 1916: Russian conquests of the Brusilov Offensive.

1.1.4. Operation Faustschlag

Was a Central Powers offensive in World War I. It was the last major action on the Eastern Front. The northern force, consisting of 16 divisions, captured the key Daugavpils junction on the first day.

• February 1918: Daugavpils conquered by Austrian and German forces.
• February 1918: The northern force, consisting of 16 divisions, captured the key Daugavpils junction.
• February 1918: Minsk was captured by the Central Powers together with the headquarters of the Western Army Group.
• February 1918: The Southern forces broke through the remains of the Russian Southwestern Army Group, capturing Zhitomir on 24 February.
• February 1918: The Central Powers captured Pskov and secured Narva.

1.1.5. Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk (also known as the Brest Peace in Russia) was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, between the new Bolshevik government of Russia and the Central Powers (German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire), that ended Russia's participation in World War I.

• March 1918: Ukraine signed the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk to obtain military help from the German and Austro-Hungarian Empires. Germany helped the Ukrainian Army force the Bolsheviks out of Ukraine. By April the German-Austrian Operation Faustschlag offensive had completely removed the Bolsheviks from Ukraine. Thus Germany was able to made entire Ukraine a protectorate.
• March 1918: The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was a peace treaty signed on March 3, 1918, between the new Bolshevik government of Russia and the Central Powers (German Empire, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire), that ended Russia's participation in World War I.

1.1.5.1. Consequences of Brest-Litovsk Treaty in Latvia

Was the reorganization of Latvia after the Brest-Litovsk Treaty.

1.1.6. White Russia administrative changes

Where the administrative changes of Belarus during World War I and the Russian Civil War.

• March 1918: The Belarusian People's Republic was declared on March 9, 1918, in Minsk, by the members of the Executive Committee of the First All-Belarusian Congress, and two weeks later, on March 25, 1918, it proclaimed independence.

1.2. Aftermath of World War I

Were a series of treaties and military events that can be considered a direct consequence of World War I.

• November 1918: The Republic of Latvia was established on 18 November 1918 when it broke away from the Russian Empire and declared independence in the aftermath of World War I.

1.2.1. Aftermath of World War I in Poland

Events that happened shortly after the end of World War I in Poland.

• November 1918: Independence of the Second Polish Republic. Warsaw was free from November 11, 1918.
• November 1918: On 11 November 1918 in Warsaw, Józef Piłsudski was appointed Commander in Chief of Polish forces by the Regency Council and was entrusted with creating a national government for the newly independent country. On the same day, which would become Poland's Independence Day, he proclaimed the independent Polish Republic.

1.2.2. Polish-Ukrainian War

Was a conflict between the Second Polish Republic and Ukrainian forces (both the West Ukrainian People's Republic and Ukrainian People's Republic).

• March 1919: By March 18 the Poles had driven the Ukrainian forces from the Lviv-Przemyśl railroad, permanently securing Lviv.

1.2.3. Creation of Estonia after the retreat of the German Army

After their defeat in World War I, the Germans handed over the power in Estonia to a Provisional Government.

• November 1918: After their defeat in World War I, the Germans were forced to hand over power in Estonia to the Provisional Government.

1.2.4. Estonian War of Independence

Was the Estonian War of independence from Bolshevik Russia and German troops.

1.2.4.1. Soviet Offensive (Estonian War of Independence)

Was the Bolshevik invasion of Estonia, a former region of the Russian Empire that had declared independence.

2. Russian Civil War

Was a Civil War in Russia that involved varios factions but mainly the Bolsheviks and the conservative White Army in the core Russian territories, as well as a multitude of local secessionist states. At the end of war the Bolsheviks were victorious and established the Soviet Union.

2.1. Soviet westward offensive of 1918-25

Was a military campaign by the Russian SFSR into regions that had been evacuated by the German forces in eastern Europe after World War I.

2.1.1. Soviet westward offensive in Poland

Was a military offensive by the Russian SFSR in Poland after the German army left the area.

• February 1919: The Soviet westward offensive came to a halt by late February.

Disestablishment

• February 1919: The Soviet westward offensive came to a halt by late February.
• March 1919: By March 18 the Poles had driven the Ukrainian forces from the Lviv-Przemyśl railroad, permanently securing Lviv.

Selected Sources

• The Brusilov Offensive, 1 May - 20 September 1916. United States Military Academy West Point. Retrieved on March, 26th, 2024 on https://www.westpoint.edu/sites/default/files/inline-images/academics/academic_departments/history/WWI/WWOne35.jpg