In fact, although it is a German word, the term itself was created by an English newspaper sometime in 1939. A Combat History of the First World War, Oxford University Press, 2013.Hart, Peter. History in Charts is a website dedicated to writing about historical topics and diving deeper into the data behind different events, time periods, places, and people. Germany wanted to avoid this at all costs. This plan would make use of the extensive German rail network to quickly move troops between fronts and defeat each nation one at a time. Essentially, speed would be of the essence: first, by very quickly destroying France, and then turning on the Russian great power, a country that was expected to be slower to mobilize and more ponderous in its preparations for war. The so-called blitzkrieg of 1940 was really the German doctrine of 1914 with technology bolted on. 1914-1918, Profile Books, 2013.Stone, Norman. The first reason is that, in order to invade France, the German first and second armies were in Belgium needing to get to and conquer Fort Liege. Timeline. He served as chief of staff from 1891 to 1905 and excelled precisely at careful preparation and thinking in abstract terms about the military challenge that Germanys geopolitical position represented. He was in a good position to dictate such terms. PARTNER CHANNELSITS HISTORY: http://bit.ly/ITSHISTORYSHOWDER ERSTE WELTKRIEG: http://bit.ly/1wkyt WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WORLD WAR I AND WHERE ELSE CAN I FIND YOU? If Germany stood on the defensive, Russia could complete its mobilization while France brought her reserves to combat effectiveness. The boldness necessary for it to succeed had been watered down. For its part, the German navy was against the Schlieffen Plan because the bulk of military resources would be directed toward massive land engagements and not the development of more powerful battleships. It was named after its developer, Count Alfred von Schlieffen (18331913), former chief of the German general staff. British soldiers may not have been needed in this part of the war. It seemed clear to him, given the Alliances, that one day Germany would be at war with both Russia and its ally France. With that plan, Schlieffen believed, Gemany could defeat France within six weeks, the campaign concluding with a decisive super Cannae in the south. Find out on AlternateHistoryHub: http://bit.ly/1VJ9T0UThe Schlieffen Plan was the blueprint fo. Omissions? The decision to mobilize was made by the government, not by the generals. Of course, you can embed our videos on your website. With this approach in mind, the French army was sent to man France's heavily fortified border with Germany, the Maginot Line, and to await a German attack. It was a plan for Germany to avoid fighting at its eastern and western fronts at the same time. France had to end the war. Across the English Channel, a stunned British military establishment struggled to determine how it was that events had so quickly gone so horribly wrong. The Team responsible for THE GREAT WAR is even bigger: - CREDITS -Presented by : Indiana NeidellWritten by: Indiana NeidellDirector: David VossDirector of Photography: Toni StellerSound: Toni StellerSound Design: Marc Glckshttps://www.facebook.com/ReflectionzOfficialEditing: Toni Steller Research by: Indiana NeidellFact checking: Latoya Wild, David VossA Mediakraft Networks Original ChannelBased on a concept by Spartacus OlssonAuthor: Indiana NeidellVisual Concept: Astrid Deinhard-OlssonExecutive Producer: Astrid Deinhard-Olsson and Spartacus OlssonProducer: David VossSocial Media Manager: Florian Wittig and Laura PaganContains licenced Material by British PathAll rights reserved - Mediakraft Networks GmbH, 2015 Within 10 days the Russians had invaded Germany, which meant that the Germans had to switch troops away from western Europe to hold up the Russian invasion. From the Lecture Series: World War IThe Great War, December 1, 2017 History, Military History, World History. The speed, flexibility and initiative of the German Wehrmacht took the Allies completely by surprise during the blitzkrieg at the start of World War Two. and in the process, capturing Paris. It was a plan that nearly succeeded but its success could only be measured by being 100% successful. Thus they would be able to end the war quickly since they would make it impossible for resources to reach any army or people on land. It comes close to total victory at Mons and Charleroi where the BEF and French 5th Armies barely escape destruction. And as military technology, including that of tanks, motor vehicles, aircraft and radios, was developed during the 1920s and 30s, so it was grafted onto this doctrinal framework. This was not the first time Germans had tried to fight in a war on two fronts. Having defeated France, Germany would then be able to concentrate her efforts on defeating the Russians in the east rather then having to fight on two fronts at once. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. Schlieffen was convinced that a modern enemy force could be defeated in the same way, and the execution of a massive flank attack became the main focus of his plan. With Austria defeated, Germany would have no choice but to come to terms, Both plans assumed that Italy would be allied. ), check out our partner sites KidsKonnect, SchoolHistory, and HelpTeaching for hundreds of facts, worksheets, activities, quizzes, courses, and more! In 1914, the war began. Germany faced a war on two fronts. It imposed severe restrictions on the possibility of finding a diplomatic solution to the July Crisis, because of its narrow time-frame for the initial deployment of troops. Moltke ordered a German withdrawal toward the River Aisne. In practice, however, both plans broke down in disaster. Both fronts would initially begin on the defense, though unleash fierce counter attacks on first on the French. The Schlieffen Plan seemed to be working. Once again, Germany planned a surprise attack on France. As things were then, the German army was unable to defeat its enemies decisively in the war's early battles, and reluctantly settled into trench warfare in late 1914. Russia also supported the Balkan region, including Serbia. Due to the Schlieffen Plan, a war against Russia in the east forced the Germans to immediately make war against France in the west. In short, the offensive strategy now known as the Schlieffen Plan was only meant for a one front war, with Russia remaining neutral. \" HOW CAN I SUPPORT YOUR CHANNEL?You can support us by sharing our videos with your friends and spreading the word about our work.You can also support us financially on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thegreatwarPatreon is a platform for creators like us, that enables us to get monthly financial support from the community in exchange for cool perks. This doctrine stressed speed of manoeuvre and attacking the enemy where he was weakest, and usually this meant attacking the flanks. A series of battles followed. The Upper Rhine to the Swiss border and the Lower Alsace were to be defended by Landwehr brigades. Some people say that the generals caused the war. In reality, the way in which the Wehrmacht fought, their 'doctrine' in today's parlance, was based more upon ideas than technology. France had to be defeated - and this did not happen. The Germans retreated back, settled in, and dug deep trenches in preparation for a long war of attrition. It was crafted by the German General Staff over a decade beyond Schleiffen's original formulation. History. What assumptions were the Schlieffen plan based on? From the operational ideas of Schlieffen they placed the emphasis on speed, flank attacks, encirclements and decisive battle. In 1914, German units inevitably outfought their opponents whenever they encountered each other on the battlefield. German troops rushed through Belgium and Luxembourg into France. Schlieffen and his successor, Helmuth von Moltke the Younger, trained the German army well in what they termed Bewegungskrieg, or 'war of manoeuvre'. However, the modern technology was merely used to enhance the capabilities that had already been provided, thanks to the army's strategic doctrine. The First World War, Vintage, 2000.Hastings, Max. The Schlieffen plan made several assumptions: There would be minimal resistance from Belgium. A small, neutral country. The third group would concentrate on the most-southern right wing, with eight corps, five reserve corps, and Landwehr brigades, with the help of two mobile cavalry divisions. The Russians reached the border much sooner and in a greater army than expected, forcing Moltke to send more troops to the Russian Front than planned. This time, unlike the Allies, the Germans intended to fight the war offensively, and win quickly. The Schlieffen Plan failed for several reasons including a lack of manpower, underestimation of the speed of Russian troop deployments, and the belief that Britain would not defend neutral Belgium. That northernmost force would consist of 5 cavalry divisions, 17 infantry corps, 6 Ersatzkorps (replacement corps), and a number of Landwehr (reserve) and Landsturm (men over the age of 45) brigades. One whole army that is usually counted as a part of the right-wing attack through Belgium operates in fact as a part of the left wing in Alsace-Lorraine. BBC - Standard Grade Bitesize History - The Schlieffen Plan : Revision, Page 3 . Moltke estimated six weeks for deployment, leading Germany to believe France could be defeated before the Russians fully mobilized. But from time to time, Indy reads and answers comments with his personal account, too. Belgium relied upon its concrete fortifications to hold up the Germans. In 1906, General Schlieffen retired from the army. Upon the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, the European powers became quickly engulfed in an all-out war now known as World War I. Germany had prepared for this scenario years in advance, though the failure of the Schlieffen Plan led to a long drawn out conflict. This was the opportunity the allies had been waiting for. It was an ambitious plan designed to avoid Germany having to fight a two-front war against France and Russia. Then General Alexander von Kluck, commander of the German First Army, made a critical error. This happy feeling covered up the dangerous situation Germany was in. This is not true. France did just that at the Marne River, east of Paris. The Schlieffen Plan What is a Schlieffen Plan. Germany and their allies would invade France through Belgium, instead of directly attacking. The Schlieffen Plan failed for several reasons including a lack of manpower, underestimation of the speed of Russian troop deployments, and the belief that Britain would not defend neutral Belgium. Then Russia was quicker to respond than the Germans thought. The plan used at the beginning of World War I had been modified by Helmuth von Moltke, who reduced the size of the attacking army and was blamed for Germany's failure to win a quick victory. Schlieffen's ideas were largely aimed at operational-level leaders, that is, the commanders of Germany's divisions and army corps. This was a crucial moment: it was an admission that the Schlieffen Plan had ultimately not succeeded and was the beginning of trench warfare. Its role was to advance deep into France and swing around Paris, surrounding the French capital and any forces based near it. He also decided to avoid invading the Netherlands, hoping to keep the British out of the war. Every day they stalled the German advance was a day in which the Schlieffen plan fell behind. Soldiers complained that this kind of warfare was more strenuous than earlier mobile battles. Thus, unlike the Allied armies, the German army in 1940 had an offensive doctrine that emphasised speed of decision-making, speed of manoeuvre and decentralised action. Learn more about World War I: Destruction and Rebirth. The rest of the German forces had to fall back to keep in line with them. The German Schlieffen Plan had prepared the nation for this exact moment and now was the time to implement it. He said, We lost the war. Four years later, Moltkes prediction would be true. The Schlieffen plan was designed to encircle the French in Belgium and cut off their retreat to the Marne. The BEF was sent to join the line of French troops defending the border with Belgium. In the Battle of the Marne, the French army attacked the Germans. And in 1940, influenced by this experience, the British and French leaders of World War Two were still expecting to fight a war in which the defensive would dominate. It was only defeated by the Battle of the Marne. And German strategists, most notably Alfred von Schlieffen, had concluded that Germany could not win a long, protracted war against such opposition. This was the way German armies had taken during the Franco-Prussian war in the past. So he only needed a small defensive force toward Russia while Germany was fighting France. The German Army was moving too fast for their supply lines to keep up, and the soldiers were weary and underfed. However, in order to maximize German flexibility and preparedness, Schlieffen also devised an offensive strategy for a one-front war solely with France. Once one ally was defeated, Germany would be able to combine its forces to defeat the other through massive troop concentration and rapid deployment. To read more on what we're all about, learn more about us here. Russia mobilized its troops quicker than expected. Once in French territory, the German attackers would then pivot south in a hinge-like movement, enveloping the French army. They were to buy time for the Belgians, so they could receive support from the French and British, who despite Moltkes hopes joined in the war. The German general Schlieffen counted on two things. Repelled by the waste and indecisiveness of trench warfare, they returned to the ideas of Schlieffen, and in 1921 the army published its new doctrine, Command and Combat with Combined Arms. The plan failed mainly because it was based on the assumptions which were highly unrealistic and not even under the control of German planners. The French plan, endorsed by commander Joseph Joffre, called for an all-out attack into Germany to regain the lost territories of Alsace-Lorraine, avenging the humiliating defeat of 1871, and redeeming French honor. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. The retreat signaled the end of any hope of completing the Schlieffen Plan. This failure had great significance as it largely impacted World War I. The events in May and June 1940 proved that this outdated vision of war could not have been further from reality. Thus, by decentralising command and by increasing the firepower of the infantry, they created a large number of platoon-sized units capable of independent action on the battlefield. Next. Nonetheless, there were remarkable and celebrated successes that gave a sense of optimism about enacting the Schlieffen Plan. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), mobilized quickly and was thrown into battle in northern France. Klucks shift east had left the German flank exposed. Beck, 2014If you want to buy some of the books we use or recommend during our show, check out our Amazon Store: http://bit.ly/TGWAmazonNOTE: This store uses affiliate links which grant us a commission if you buy a product there. War never goes perfectly, and so the plan failed. The plans call for speed was all very well, but outside their own borders, the Germans could not rely on control of a railway system to advance their forces. In reality, the Russians first attacked in less than half that time, forcing Moltke to further weaken the German offensive on the Western Front by sending additional troops east. The battles are remembered but not the schemes that led to them. They had promised to protect Belgium from enemies back in 1839. Alfred von Schlieffen was the Chief of the Imperial German army between 1891 and 1906. The Schlieffen Plan was put into action by Von Moltke on August 2, 1914. https://www.military.com/history/world-war-i-schlieffen-plan.html, https://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/world-war-one/causes-of-world-war-one/the-schlieffen-plan/, https://www.open.edu/openlearn/history-the-arts/history/world-history/the-schlieffen-plan. They might not need to send ground troops or use up their people. They thought that Russia would be slower than Germany because they needed more time to gather their soldiers. Above all else, this doctrine created aggressive and flexible leaders. The plan used at the beginning of World War I had been modified by Helmuth von Moltke, who reduced the size of the attacking army and was blamed for Germanys failure to win a quick victory. That would lead to a war on two fronts, dividing Germanys military resources. []. German politicians expected that, in the event of war, France and Russia would support each other against Germany. Enzyklopdie Erster Weltkrieg, Schningh Paderborn, 2004Michalka, Wolfgang. If you enjoyed what you read and are a teacher or tutor needing resources for your students from kindergarten all the way up to high school senior (or even adults! With this doctrine, despite being outnumbered in tanks and combat aircraft, they were able to outfight the Allies at every turn in 1940, and cause the rapid and total collapse of Allied resistance. 2015. In one of history's great ironies, Hitler insisted that the armistice be signed in the very railway car in which Germany had been compelled to admit defeat at the end of World War One. He did not solve the political problem of violating neutrality, but he lessened it by declining to invade Holland. With Italian neutrality, neither had a chance to work, Your email address will not be published. His adjustment left more German forces in the east. Rather than repeating the World War One Schlieffen Plan, the Germans in 1940 advanced with their main thrust through the Ardennes Forest, in order to smash the vulnerable flank of the Allies.