The white Russian bear, dyed red with Austro-Hungarian blood, triumphs over the Habsburg Eagle. Russian was victorious in Galicia in 1914 and early 1915. A postcard by Bianchi.

l'orso bianco

the white bear



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Driving north from Galicia, the Austro-Hungarian First Army under Dankl defeated the Russian Fourth Army in the three-day Battle of Krasnik beginning August 23.

To the right of Dankl's army, the Austro-Hungarian Fourth Army under Auffenberg drove northeast, and defeated the Russian Fifth Army under Plehve in the Battle of Komarov from August 26 to 31.

The third prong in the Austro-Hungarian invasion of Russia was the Third Army under Brudermann which advanced from Lemberg moving to the east. Part of the Austro-Hungarian Second Army under Böhm Ermolli had completed its arduous journey from Serbia and reinforced Brudermann's right wing. Additional forces under Hermann Kövess held the center.

Crossing the border towards the Austro-Hungarian forces were the Russian Third Army under Gerneral Ruzski and the Eighth Army under General Alexsei Brusilov. The Russians outnumbered Brudermann's forces by three to one. Brusilov crossed the Sereth River and outflanked Brudermann's right wing where the Second Army was still struggling into position. On the Austro-Hungarian left, Ruzski had found the gap between Brudermann's and Auffenberg's forces. Isolated, heavily outnumbered, with Russian armies on both flanks, and with some of Brusilov's cavalry at his rear, Brudermann retreated.

The Austro-Hungarians were driven back. The Russians took the fortress city of Lemberg on September 2. The next day the Battle of Rava Russka began which would seal Austria-Hungary's defeat, and Russia's victory, in Galicia.

Start Date: 1914-08-26

End Date: 1914-08-30

The Battle of Gnila Lipa is part of Russia and Austria-Hungary War in Galicia, 1914.