Russian advance deep into Hungary in 1914?

Was there any way that Russian forces could have capitalised on their successes in Galicia to march further into Hungary in 1914, and what consequences could this have for the Eastern Front in a wider sense, and for the war generally?
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
Theoretically they could have an ephemeral penetration and then things converge with OTL. The Germans don't move as much force from west to east. The extra force in the west does not suffice to allow Germany to win. The A-H'ers reverse and contain the breach before any other powers get in.

But that is kind of boring. Other consequences might be an earlier entry of Romania into the war and longer Serbian survival, or the Austrians dropping out for a white peace.
 
Theoretically they could have an ephemeral penetration and then things converge with OTL. The Germans don't move as much force from west to east. The extra force in the west does not suffice to allow Germany to win. The A-H'ers reverse and contain the breach before any other powers get in.

But that is kind of boring. Other consequences might be an earlier entry of Romania into the war and longer Serbian survival, or the Austrians dropping out for a white peace.
Indeed, I think there are some fairly potential far-reaching consequences for this scenario. As to how they might achieve such a penetration is something else entirely I guess.
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
Indeed, I think there are some fairly potential far-reaching consequences for this scenario. As to how they might achieve such a penetration is something else entirely I guess.

Indeed, but I actually think I got my first post backward. Correction: A Russian rupture into Hungary would require more German forces to move east rather than less. They could well suffice (along with Russian exhaustion and logistical problems and the Hungarians falling back on their reserves and supplies) to close the breach. However, movement of some additional German forces east, at least after the end of the "race to the sea" is probably not going to permit French or British attacks on the Germans in 1915 in the west to be meaningfully more successful.
 
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