The powers fighting on the Eastern theatre were Russia, a well trained and equipped force, Austria, which lacked resources and equipment, and Germany, a better prepared and organized military force. However, because the Russian army was so large, and suffered from problems of inadequate transportation (moving troops and supplies), it was not as agile and effective a fighting force.
The similarities between battles on the Western and Eastern fronts were that both had profound impacts and influences on the latter half of the 20th century, reshaping boundaries for countries. Also, both fronts suffered many casualties, although the East suffered more.
The differences between the battles on the Western fronts and the Eastern fronts were sometimes very stark. For instance, on the Eastern front, the battles were very gruesome, resulting in more than three million soldiers dying, and three times that many wounded. The Eastern front military powers were usually ill-equipped and lacked decisive military decision making. The Western front powers, Britain, France, and the United States, had better equipment, wiser fighting strategies, and gained greater fame.
