The French and Belgians are defeated outside Namur. The Germans approach Nancy: the Battle of Nancy (see Sept. 11). General von Hindenburg is appointed to command the German armies in East Prussia. Aug. 23 (Sun.) Japan declares war on Germany. Namur is captured by the Germans. The Battle of Mons. The Battle of Charleroi ends in the defeat of the French (see Aug. 21). East Prussia:--The Russians are victorious at Frankenau. Galicia:--The Russians take Brody and Tarnopol (see Sept. 1 and 7, 1915). Aug. 24 (Mon.) The retreat of the Allies on the Western Front begins. The Germans occupy Tournai. Cattaro, in the Adriatic, is bombarded by the Allied fleets. Aug. 25 (Tues.) Louvain is sacked by the Germans. The British fight severe actions at Landrecies and Maroilles, and reach the line Cambrai--Le Cateau in 'the Retreat.' Mulhausen is again captured by the Germans. In East Prussia the Russians approach Königsberg. The Austrians defeat the Russians in the First Battle of Krasnik. The Austrians evacuate Serbia (see Aug. 13). Invasion of the Cameroons by the French and British (see Feb. 19, 1916). Aug. 26 (Wed.) (Crécy, 1346). The First Battle of Le Cateau: further retirement of the Allies in France. Maubeuge is invested by the Germans (see Sept. 7). The beginning of the Battle of Tannenberg, which, after four days' fighting, leads to the crushing defeat of the Russians by Hindenburg. Togoland surrenders to the Allies (see Aug. 8). H.M.S. _Highflyer_ (a light cruiser, used before the war as a training ship for naval cadets) sinks the German auxiliary cruiser _Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse_ off the West African coast. Aug. 27 (Thur.) The Allies fall back behind the Somme. Lille and Mézières are occupied by the Germans. Ostend is occupied by British marines. Halicz (Galicia) is captured by the Russians. The blockade of Tsingtau (Kiao-Chau) begins (see Aug. 15, Nov. 7). The German cruiser _Magdeburg_ runs ashore in the Gulf of Finland, and is blown up by her captain. Aug. 28 (Fri.) The Battle of the Bight of Heligoland: British destroyers supported by light cruisers and battle cruisers sink three German cruisers and two destroyers; no British vessel is lost. New Zealand troops, supported by an Allied naval force, occupy German Samoa. Aug. 29 (Sat.) The British Army, in touch at last with the French on both flanks, rests temporarily for the first time in 'the Retreat.' General Joffre and Sir J. French meet and confer at Compiègne. In the evening the retreat is resumed in an orderly manner. The Battle of Tannenberg ends in a complete victory for the Germans (see Aug. 26). Aug. 30 (Sun.) The British reach a line a little north of Compiègne-Soissons. The Germans occupy La Fère and Laon. The British bases are established temporarily at St. Nazaire and Nantes instead of at Havre and Boulogne. Aug. 31 (Mon.) The Germans occupy Amiens. In Galicia the First Battle of Lemberg begins (see Sept. 2). Sept. 1 (Tues.)