The battle of Tannenberg (August 27-30, 1914) opened World War I with a decisive German vicctory over Russia, indeed the Kaiser's only clear cut victory in a non-attritional battle during four years of war. In this classic work, Dennis E Showalter ama;uzes tje battle's causes. effects. amd o,[;ocatopms fpr sibsequent German military policy while guiding the reader through what actually happened on the battlefield, form grand strategy, down to the level of imporvised squad actions. In addition, he examines the battle in the context of contemporary diplomatic, political, and economic affairs. Showalter also reviews both armies' social settings and military doctrines, showing how the battle may be understood as a case study of problems that military organizations face in the initial stages of a major war.