Editing Battle of Tannenberg (section)

=== Consolidation of the German Eighth Army ===
The new commanders arrived at Marienburg on the afternoon of 23 August; they had met for the first time on their special train the previous night and now they rendezvoused with the Eighth Army staff. I Corps was moving by the rail line, and Ludendorff had previously counter-ordered it further east, at [[Deutsch-Eylau]], where it could support the right of [[XX Corps (German Empire)|XX Corps]]. XVII Corps and I Reserve Corps would march towards the left of XX Corps. Ludendorff had delayed their marches for a day to rest while remaining in place should Rennenkampf attack. The German 1st Cavalry Division and some garrison troops of older men would remain as a screen just south of the eastern edge of the Königsberg defenses, facing Rennenkampf's First Army.{{sfn|Buttar|2016|pp=145, 154–155}}

Hindenburg summarized his strategy, "We had not merely to win a victory over Samsonov. We had to annihilate him. Only thus could we get a free hand to deal with the second enemy, Rennenkampf, who was even then plundering and burning East Prussia."{{sfn|Buttar|2016|p=148}} The new commander had raised the stakes dramatically.<ref>Hindenburg, P. von, (1921) ''Out of my life'', Harper, vol. 1, p. 109.</ref> They must do more than stop Samsonov in his tracks, as they had tried to block and push back Rennenkampf. Samsonov must be annihilated before they turned back to deal with Rennenkampf.<ref>Showalter, 1991 pp. 106–123</ref> For the moment Samsonov would be opposed only by the forces he was already facing, XX Corps, mostly East Prussians who were defending their homes. The bulk of the Second Russian Army was still coming towards the front; if necessary, they would be allowed to push further into the province while the German reinforcements assembled on the flanks, poised to encircle the invaders—just the tactics instilled by Schlieffen.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Schlieffen|first1=Alfred, Graf von|title=Cannae|date=1925|publisher=E. S. Mittler|location=Berlin}}</ref>