The German Eastern Front headquarters operated from a former administrative building near Breslau.
A massive map of Poland covered the central table.
Officers constantly moved markers.
Railway lines.
Russian armies.
Austrian corps.
Supply routes.
The entire operation depended on speed.
Hindenburg stood in silence as he studied the map.
Ludendorff began the meeting without wasting time.
—"After East Prussia, the Russians expected us to remain in the north. Instead, we moved our main strike force south."
He pointed toward western Poland.
—"Ninth Army."
A staff officer continued the report.
—"Approximately three hundred thousand men. Their main concentration is here."
He marked the area between Thorn and Kalisz.
—"The redeployment was completed faster than Russian intelligence expected."
Hoffmann pointed at the map.
—"Russian armies are scattered."
His finger moved across multiple sectors.
—"Some formations are still rebuilding after East Prussia."
Another movement.
—"Some are still pressing Austria."
Another.
—"Others are still in transit."
Ludendorff continued.
—"We strike before they complete concentration."
He pointed toward Warsaw.
—"Primary objective: force the Russians to defend the city in haste."
Then toward the Vistula.
—"Secondary objective: seize the crossings."
One general spoke up.
—"What if they manage to move forces from Galicia in time?"
Hoffmann answered immediately.
—"Then they'll commit armies in fragments. We destroy them in fragments."
Hindenburg finally spoke.
—"Speed decides everything. If this operation slows down, the advantage shifts to Russia."
The room grew noticeably quieter.
Everyone understood the same thing.
The German plan was powerful.
But only if it succeeded quickly.
The atmosphere inside Austrian headquarters was far worse.
Conrad von Hötzendorf listened with a stone expression.
—"First Army — approximately one hundred twenty thousand."
—"Fourth Army — approximately one hundred forty thousand."
—"Remaining formations are still rebuilding after Galicia."
The officer stopped speaking.
Conrad looked at him coldly.
—"Total combat-ready strength."
—"Approximately two hundred eighty thousand."
Conrad walked toward the map.
His finger stopped south of the German advance.
—"Our task is not victory."
Several officers looked at him in surprise.
Conrad continued.
—"Our task is to avoid collapsing before the Germans."
No one laughed.
Because he was completely serious.
—"We hold the southern flank. We tie down Russian armies. We do not allow them to move everything against Germany."
One general cautiously asked:
—"And if the Russians break through again?"
Conrad stared at him coldly.
—"Then make sure your army remains intact long enough for Germany to solve the larger problem."
Tension rose quickly inside Stavka.
A Russian intelligence officer stood before the generals.
—"Large-scale German redeployment confirmed."
He pointed to the map.
—"New Ninth Army."
Another marker.
—"Approximately three hundred thousand."
Then farther south.
—"Austrian forces — approximately two hundred eighty thousand."
One general straightened sharply.
—"That's nearly six hundred thousand combined."
—"Yes."
Another general stepped toward the map.
—"Our strength?"
The officer answered immediately.
—"We can assemble approximately five hundred fifty thousand men around Warsaw, Ivangorod, and southern Poland."
The general narrowed his eyes.
—"Can assemble?"
—"Many formations are still moving."
The room went silent.
One general slammed his finger onto the map.
—"If the Germans reach the Vistula quickly, Warsaw will be threatened."
Another pointed farther south.
—"If Austria holds its front, we won't be able to shift enough forces north."
A third general studied the map for several seconds.
—"Then the solution is obvious."
He pointed at the railway network.
—"Move our armies faster than Germany expects."
Another officer asked quietly:
—"And if German forces reach the Vistula first?"
The general looked at the map for several seconds.
—"Then we begin fighting for Warsaw under conditions we do not control."
At that exact moment, Skoropadskyi's cavalry was being committed to the operation.
When Skoropadskyi's division arrived in Poland, he immediately understood the scale of what was happening.
Railway stations were overflowing.
Infantry divisions.
Artillery batteries.
Cavalry formations.
Supply columns.
Wounded men being transported to the rear.
Fresh units moving toward the front.
The entire region looked like one enormous military camp.
Skoropadskyi watched endless columns move across muddy roads.
—"This is no longer a single operation."
Bezruchko understood immediately.
—"Now it's becoming a war of exhaustion."
The following day, Skoropadskyi was summoned to army headquarters.
A large operational map already showed German movements.
One general pointed directly at it.
—"The main German thrust is advancing from the Częstochowa region through Piotrków toward Tomaszów Mazowiecki."
His finger moved farther east.
—"If they break through there, the next major direction is Warsaw."
Another officer pointed farther south.
—"Additional German forces are moving toward Radom to increase pressure along the Vistula line."
Skoropadskyi studied the map carefully.
—"And the Austrians?"
—"Farther south. Around Kielce. Their job is to pin our armies and prevent us from moving everything toward Warsaw."
The general looked directly at him.
—"We still don't fully understand where their strongest push will develop."
Another officer added:
—"That's why your cavalry division is being sent forward."
Skoropadskyi understood immediately.
—"You want my division to identify their main thrust."
The general gave a tired smile.
—"And slow it down if possible."
Skoropadskyi looked at the map.
—"Reconnaissance and delaying actions require very different levels of acceptable casualties."
The general met his stare.
—"At the moment we're short on both time and alternatives."
Bolbochan received the assignment he was best suited for.
Deep reconnaissance.
His detachment moved forward in small mobile groups.
They avoided major engagements.
Captured prisoners.
Intercepted messengers.
Tracked German supply routes.
Near the Piotrków–Tomaszów road, Bolbochan's men intercepted a German communications officer.
After a brief interrogation, the picture became clear.
German forces were advancing toward Tomaszów faster than Russian headquarters had calculated.
If their pace continued, pressure on Warsaw would rise much sooner than expected.
Bolbochan immediately sent the report back.
—"German advance toward Tomaszów is accelerating beyond staff estimates."
Skoropadskyi received the report late that night.
He studied the map for several seconds before calling Bezruchko over.
—"Their main momentum is moving through Piotrków toward Tomaszów."
He pointed farther east.
—"If they take Tomaszów quickly, pressure on Warsaw increases dramatically."
Another movement.
—"Bolbochan continues reconnaissance."
Then farther south.
—"Omelianovych-Pavlenko moves to secure the crossing near Kozienice."
Bezruchko studied the map.
—"You're trying to delay their operational timetable."
Skoropadskyi nodded.
—"Every delayed railway shipment, every delayed bridge crossing, every delayed corps movement helps us."
He tapped the map.
—"Germany wins when battles happen on their schedule."
Bezruchko looked at him.
—"Speed."
—"Exactly."
Before dawn, Omelianovych-Pavlenko led his regiment toward the Vistula crossing near Kozienice.
They arrived only hours before German advance forces.
Cavalrymen dismounted immediately.
Horses were moved into cover.
Horse artillery positioned itself on elevated ground near the river.
Engineers prepared charges in case the bridge needed to be destroyed.
On the eastern bank, Russian columns continued crossing.
Infantry.
Artillery.
Supply wagons.
If the crossing was lost too early, Russian redeployment would begin collapsing.
Omelianovych-Pavlenko understood that perfectly.
Omelianovych-Pavlenko stood with his officers near the crossing at Kozienice and studied the surrounding terrain.
—"German positions?"
A reconnaissance officer answered immediately.
—"Advance elements spotted on the Radom-Kozienice road. Main forces still unclear."
—"The Austrians?"
—"Farther south. Around Kielce."
Omelianovych-Pavlenko gave a short nod.
—"Then the Germans will reach us first."
By midday, German reconnaissance units appeared on the horizon.
Then advance infantry.
Then artillery.
They were moving quickly.
Exactly as Bolbochan's reconnaissance reports had warned.
And exactly as Skoropadskyi had predicted.
One young Russian officer nervously asked:
—"Colonel, do we attack?"
Omelianovych-Pavlenko looked calmly at the approaching German columns.
—"No."
The officer looked confused.
—"If we wait too long, they may deploy artillery closer to the crossing."
Omelianovych-Pavlenko cut him off sharply.
—"Then we die beautifully under machine guns and artillery."
Several officers quietly laughed.
He continued in a calmer tone.
—"We hold the crossing with dismounted forces. Artillery targets their advance units. Cavalry attacks only if the enemy begins retreating in disorder."
The young officer nodded quickly.
—"Understood."
This was a new war.
And old officers either adapted—
or died.
The first German shells landed near evening.
Then the full firefight began.
German infantry pushed toward the bridge.
Russian artillery opened fire from the eastern bank.
One German company nearly reached the outskirts of Kozienice.
Omelianovych-Pavlenko personally committed a reserve squadron.
But instead of charging on horseback, his men dismounted among the buildings.
Heavy close-range fighting erupted.
The streets quickly filled with smoke.
Screaming.
Gunfire at point-blank range.
The Germans gradually realized the Russians were defending far more aggressively than expected.
Meanwhile, Bolbochan continued his raid farther north.
Near Tomaszów, his men destroyed a German telegraph station.
They cut communication lines.
Then attacked a supply column.
Several supply wagons were destroyed.
Prisoners were captured.
Before withdrawing, Bolbochan sent an urgent report to Skoropadskyi.
—"Main German forces continue advancing toward Tomaszów. Their pace has slowed, but the offensive continues."
That night, Skoropadskyi received both reports.
Kozienice was still holding.
The Germans had been slowed.
But not stopped.
He stared at the map for a long time.
Then spoke quietly.
—"Tomorrow will be much worse."
Bezruchko looked exhausted.
—"At some point I would appreciate one optimistic forecast."
Skoropadskyi kept staring at Warsaw on the map.
—"When I find one worth trusting, you'll be the first to hear it."
At dawn, the German offensive expanded in full force.
And the real battle was only beginning.