### Strey, Command Headquarters of the Russian Southwestern Front
At this moment, General Ivanov, the commander, was seething with rage. His fury rendered the officers within the command center mute with fear, each dreading the consequences of provoking him further.
The Fourth Army had suffered a devastating defeat in Lviv, with Commander Dmitriev fleeing and managing to withdraw fewer than ten thousand troops from a force originally comprising three hundred thousand. The rapidity of their defeat at the hands of the Germans was unforeseen and catastrophic.
"General, the Fourth Army has also met with failure at Zamość. The Germans have captured the town," a staff officer reported, braving Ivanov's ire. Given the general's volatile mood, the officers were reluctant to approach him unless absolutely necessary.
"I understand. You may leave," Ivanov replied, his expression unreadable. The annihilation of the defending forces at Zamość hardly fazed him; he had resigned himself to the grim reality of the Fourth Army's total collapse.
"Understood, General." The staff officer hastily exited, as if fearing a change of mind from Ivanov.
"Damn it, what are we to do now? The Germans are too formidable, and the Fourth Army is far too fragile, resulting in Lviv's swift capture. Without Lviv, our logistics are compromised. How can we continue this fight?" Ivanov seethed with anger and confusion.
"No, we cannot fight any longer; retreat is imperative. Otherwise, should our supply lines falter, the blow to troop morale would be catastrophic. By then, it may be too late to withdraw," Ivanov mused, his thoughts racing. He could no longer entertain thoughts of victory; every passing moment only deepened their peril. The German forces that occupied Lviv loomed over them like a dagger poised to strike.
Yet, for Ivanov, retreat was not a simple matter. He had gambled everything on an audacious strategy. Now, the outcome was a dismal failure, inflicting severe losses on the Southwestern Front. He could scarcely present this outcome to Grand Duke Nikolai or Tsar Nicholas II.
"God! How could this battle turn out like this?" Ivanov lamented, shutting his eyes in despair. The strategy he had adopted, while risky, had not seemed devoid of any chance of success. On the contrary, he believed the odds were favorable, having previously witnessed the Austrian forces' vulnerability.
However, once the battle commenced, the Austrians' tenacity surpassed all expectations. No matter how ferociously the Russians attacked, the Austrian defenses remained steadfast. Meanwhile, the German onslaught was relentless, leading to a gradual erosion of the Russian position.
Now, among the four armies of the Southwestern Front, the Fourth Army lay completely annihilated. The Third, Eighth, and Eleventh Armies had collectively suffered losses exceeding one hundred thousand troops. This indicated that, within mere days of fighting, they had lost nearly half their forces. The remaining six to seven hundred thousand could scarcely hope to confront the combined might of the German and Austro-Hungarian forces.
"Retreat is essential! Otherwise, all our troops will perish here," Ivanov resolved firmly.
He promptly drafted a telegram to the front command, appealing to Grand Duke Nikolai for permission to retreat. Nikolai was also closely monitoring the developments, recognizing the critical nature of the engagement for the Eastern Front, particularly following the decimation of the Northwestern Front.
Despite Ivanov's bold tactical choices, Nikolai had not objected, hoping for a Russian victory. Alas, fortune had not favored them, and the Southwestern Front now found itself in dire straits.
"How could this battle have unfolded in such a manner? Has the military might of the Russian Empire truly fallen so far behind the world's powers?" Nikolai's face bore the marks of bitterness.
Historically, while the Russian army had often ranked among the weakest, their sheer numbers had allowed them to maintain a position among the great powers. The title of "steamroller" had once instilled fear across Europe. Yet now, when numerical superiority no longer dictated the battlefield's outcome, the Russians had lost their greatest advantage.
Nikolai understood that, following this engagement, the Russian army would face severe disadvantages on the Eastern Front. It was likely they would not recover until the war's end. Any hope of ultimate victory had diminished, not due to their weakness, but because of the overwhelming strength of their adversaries.
"General, Ivanov has requested a retreat," a general relayed a telegram to Nikolai.
After reading it, Nikolai nodded. "We have lost this battle; continuing would be meaningless, only leading to greater losses. Inform General Ivanov that I grant permission to withdraw. A temporary setback is not the end. We have not yet reached the point of utter defeat; there remains hope! Bring back as many troops as possible; they will serve as the seeds for our resurgence."
"Understood, General." The officer nodded in acknowledgment.
When Nikolai's response reached Ivanov, he immediately issued the order to retreat. Ivanov commanded the Third, Eighth, and Eleventh Armies to disengage from the Austrians and withdraw swiftly, retreating deep into the territories of Ukraine and Belarus, sacrificing vast swathes of land to escape the pursuing German and Austro-Hungarian forces.