The First World War: The Eastern Front Explodes (Part 5)

In this episode of "The Rest Is History," Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland delve into the often-overlooked Eastern Front of World War I, starting with Austria-Hungary's disastrous campaign against Serbia, marked by ineptitude, brutality, and bizarre decisions like releasing a captured Serbian general. They then shift focus to the Eastern Front, where the Russian army's initial advances into East Prussia were countered by the German forces under Hindenburg and Ludendorff, culminating in the devastating Battle of Tannenberg. The discussion highlights the clash between Prussian efficiency and Russian chaos, the brutal treatment of civilians, and the long-term consequences of the German victory, setting the stage for a final episode on the titanic struggle between Austria and Russia.