The Carpathian Front was a winter campaign of the Eastern Front of World War I which lasted from November 1914 to August 1915 as the Austro-Hungarian Army fought off attempts by the Imperial Russian Army to invade the Austro-Hungarian heartland.
The Carpathian mountain range was a formidable natural obstacle that separated Galicia in the north and the Hungarian plain in the south, with about 8 main strategic passes running through them. After their defeats in Galicia in November 1914, the Austro-Hungarians were forced to withdraw to defend their heartland in those passes. They made three desperate attempts to relieve the besieged fortress of Przemysl, that lay beyond the mountains in January, February, and March of 1915, all resulting in catastrophe. Fighting in extreme conditions, often without proper winter gear, the Russians maintained control over the strategic passes such as Dukla and Uzhok, resulting in 75% losses on the Austrian side. The front was relieved after the combined Austro-German offensive in May 1915.
Gallery[]
