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In 1914, the war began. In the course of the negotiations Ptain - victor of the battle of Verdun in World War One - agreed to cede three-fifths of French territory to German control. It had taken only a few short weeks for the Wehrmacht (the German army), under his control, to crush the army of the French Third Republic . By Robert T Foley Why did the Schlieffen Plan fail? 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. In truth, as events proved, they were completely unprepared to face Hitler's Wehrmacht. Schlieffen's ideas were largely aimed at operational-level leaders, that is, the commanders of Germany's divisions and army corps. After crossing the Somme west of Paris at Abbeville and Chaulnes, the main body of the Bataillon Carr would turn to engage the defenders of the French capital, with the Ersatzkorps lending support. Despite a vicious attack, the French retreated lest they risk encirclement by the Germans advancing through Belgium. This time, unlike the Allies, the Germans intended to fight the war offensively, and win quickly. 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. Upon discovering that they were overextended and in peril of being simply overwhelmed by the German advance, both British and French forces moved back in a fast retreat, seeking a place to make a concerted stand. They were aided in this by a heroic and legendary effort, which was celebrated ever afterward, as hundreds of taxicabs600 of them, to be precisebrought troops that had been stationed in Paris itself out to the battlefield, shuttling these men back and forth to get them to the places where they needed to be. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. All of these reasons combined to make the Schlieffen plan fail. German troops rushed through Belgium and Luxembourg into France. Moltke talked to Kaiser Wilhelm II after German forces were defeated. Alfred von Schlieffen was the Chief of the Imperial German army between 1891 and 1906. Nearly every country nowadays will plan for future conflicts. To address this, Germany came up with the Schlieffen Plan, which would allow Germany to quickly defeat France in a surprise attack before Russia had a chance to build up its forces. Germany had six weeks to defeat France before Russia attacked her. In reality, the way in which the Wehrmacht fought, their 'doctrine' in today's parlance, was based more upon ideas than technology. Even if Britain did defend Belgium, the Kaiser believed that there was no need to fear the British Expeditionary Force, which he called a 'contemptible little army'. In the Battle of Jutland, both sides claimed victory. A small, neutral country. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). the German advance south from Belgium was swift and decisive. To accomplish this, he advocated the use of the flexible command system pioneered by Helmuth von Moltke the Elder. 1914-1918, Profile Books, 2013.Stone, Norman. Due to Russias abysmal performance in the Russo-Japanese war, Germany believed it could defeat France first while holding their position against the Russian army. Please feel free to fill out our Contact Form. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Nonetheless, there were remarkable and celebrated successes that gave a sense of optimism about enacting the Schlieffen Plan. Raymond Limbach is an independent historian who has an M.A. Belgium refused to let Germany pass through their land without fighting. First World War resources. Learn more. The German Army was moving too fast for their supply lines to keep up, and the soldiers were weary and underfed. Contrary to the beliefs of the Allied military establishment of the day, however, blitzkrieg was not a brand-new way of waging war. Germany invaded neutral countries to the west, which made things much worse and unleashed the war with them. Instead, Germany went on the offensive on the Western Front, despite not having the manpower. Both fronts would initially begin on the defense, though unleash fierce counter attacks on first on the French. Germany, therefore, could eliminate one while the other was kept in check. Alfred von Schlieffen's Military Writings by Robert T Foley (Frank Cass, 2003), The Breaking Point: Sedan and the Fall of France, 1940 by Robert A Doughty (Archon Books, 1990), The Roots of Blitzkrieg: Hans von Seeckt and German Military Reform by James S Corum (University Press of Kansas, 1992), The Path to Blitzkrieg: Doctrine and Training in the German Army, 1920-1939 by Robert M Citino (Lynne Reinner, 1999), Germany and World War Two, Vol. It was designed for a war between France on one side and the German Empire, Austria . What was the Schlieffen Plan BBC - History - The Western Front, 1914 - 1918 Animation n n n Count Alfred von Schlieffen drew up the Schlieffen Plan in 1905 when he was German Chief of Staff. Kluck agreed. He joined the army when he turned 18 years old. The plan was designed to calculate . This assumption proved to be false, as Britain joined the war just days after the German invasion of Belgium. Instead, they fought on land. It was devised by and named after German Field Marshal Count Alfred . When war broke out in 1914, his plan was adopted by another leader, Helmuth von Moltke. 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. The Schlieffen Plan The most influential plan was that of Germany - the Schlieffen Plan - drawn up in 1905 by General Alfred von Schlieffen. The boldness necessary for it to succeed had been watered down. There was another element entirely outside German control their enemies. Negotiations also began to add Russia to this alliance. Schlieffen also stressed the need to keep the enemy reacting to German moves. Aufmarsch II West was intended to be the main German strategy in a two front war with France and Russia. It however had a couple of weaknesses, especially due to Von Moltke's modifications which doomed it to failure. Germany faced a war on two fronts. The French advance east would make it easier for the Schlieffen Plan to envelop the French army when it hinged south after making its way through Belgium. At Cannae the Carthaginian general Hannibal defeated a much larger Roman force with a successful double envelopment, turning the Roman armys flanks and destroying it. Schlieffen's speedy attack and expected defeat of France never occurred - it's failure did usher in the era of trench warfare that is so much linked to World War One. Schlieffen was an ardent student of military history, and his strategic plan was inspired by the Battle of Cannae (216 bce), a pivotal engagement during the Second Punic War. After a year the plan was revised again (1906). Related Article Summaries Germany summary Article Summary strategy summary Article Summary Erich Ludendorff summary Article Summary The Russian blow would first fall upon the very weak Hapsburgs with the French standing mobilized on the German border. One notable exception is the Schlieffen Plan. The primary divisions were among the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy) as well as the Triple Entente (Great Britain, France, and Russia). Schlieffen was very worried about Germanys position with Russia and France. Robert T Foley is a specialist on the development of German strategy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and lecturer in Defence Studies at King's College London and the Joint Services Command and Staff College. Or just share our videos on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit etc. Russia would take six weeks to mobilise their army. n n The plan relied upon rapid movement. The Schlieffen Plan and Germany's Defeat on the Western Front The Schlieffen plan can and will never be dismissed from the reasons behind the German defeat, not only for the loss on the Western front but the war itself. Find out on AlternateHistoryHub: http://bit.ly/1VJ9T0UThe Schlieffen Plan was the blueprint fo. History. Omissions? But if they had not, it might have been easier for Britain to just keep the German ships in the Baltic and defend France from naval attacks. We are also happy to get your feedback, criticism or ideas in the comments. Omissions? On 21 June 1940, early in the second year of World War Two, the French president, Marshall Philippe Ptain, sued for peace with Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The German general Schlieffen counted on two things. Germany and their allies would invade France through Belgium, instead of directly attacking. With these revisions and ultimately incorrect assumptions, the brilliant Schlieffen Plan was doomed to fail. The typical invasion route into France was through the Burgundian Gate. It relied on maintaining a near-impossible momentum. On September 5, as the Germans continued their march south, Joffre struck. This was France did just that at the Marne River, east of Paris. In early August, the enemies clashed. After von Schlieffen died, this plan was further worked on and altered by Helmuth von Moltke, his successor. If successful, Germany would move troops from the French front to the Russian front within a weeks time using modernized railways (trains). Use a private browsing window to sign in. 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. 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. The BEF was sent to join the line of French troops defending the border with Belgium. Guderain recognised the importance of tanks 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. Indy explains the numerous reasons why the Schlieffen Plan was doomed to fail. The plan failed mainly because it was based on the assumptions which were highly unrealistic and not even under the control of German planners. French forces were in full retreat. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), mobilized quickly and was thrown into battle in northern France. The execution of this plan compelled Britain to declare war on Germany in 1914. Germany lost World War II. What was the Schlieffen plan? The Schlieffen plan was also the only Germany's plan for war ("GCSE Bitesize: Extra Facts." BBC. Thus between 10 May and 21 June 1940, the Wehrmacht had accomplished what the army of Kaiser Wilhelm II had not managed to do in four years of desperate fighting in World War One. Some of the reasons this plan failed was because. This doctrine stressed speed of manoeuvre and attacking the enemy where he was weakest, and usually this meant attacking the flanks. Due to the Schlieffen Plan, a war against Russia in the east forced the Germans to immediately make war against France in the west. Despite having fewer troops than in the original plan and less space through which to advance, the Germans at first seemed to be succeeding in their plan. There were a number of shortcomings associated with the plan. Ironically, this is exactly what Germany was anticipating. Email or phone. II: Germany's Initial Conquests in Europe by German Research Institute for Military History (Clarendon Press, 1991), Storm of Steel: The Development of Armor Doctrine in Germany and the Soviet Union, 1919- 1939 by Mary B Habeck (Cornell University Press, 2003). He was willing to let them take back Alsace-Lorraine for a short time. The so-called blitzkrieg of 1940 was really the German doctrine of 1914 with technology bolted on. Even if Russia was ready, Germany would need six weeks to mobilize. The resistance of the Belgians and the BEF prevented this. In a two front war the Schlieffen Plan called for a defensive first strategy, followed by strategic counterattacks. Neither side wanted a naval war because whoever won would control trade routes. Germany faced a war on two fronts. n n The plan relied upon rapid movement. English and French troops had time to mobilize. Find out more about how the BBC is covering the. 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. Regardless of the historical accuracy of those words, the failure dashed German hopes for a quick victory on the Western Front. France would surrender once Paris was taken, and then Germany would attack Russia. 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. His adjustment left more German forces in the east. Germany went to war with Russia on August 1st, 1914. The British forces moved forward and reached Mons. Der Erste Weltkrieg. It also assumed that Germany would defeat France in less than six weeks. As Schlieffen retired from service in 1906, Helmuth von Moltke (the Younger) went on to replace him. to continue to Slides. The Schlieffen plan was also the only Germany's plan for war ("GCSE Bitesize: Extra Facts." BBC. Unlike a generation later when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi high command actively sought to create a two-front war, Imperial Germany knew that a war with either Russia or France meant a war with both.. It is easy to argue that the failure of the Schlieffen plan was a failure of execution. A huge German force would come swinging through northern France after invading Belgium and Holland, arcing around Paris to achieve decisive victory within a timetable of about six weeks. Before that, they had hold in the west and attack in the east.. This was the opportunity the allies had been waiting for. A Short History, Penguin, 2008.Keegan, John. Next. Schlieffen envisioned the attack would take no more than 6 weeks, as the capture of Paris and encirclement of the French army would lead France to seek peace. What happened as a result of the failure of the Schlieffen Plan? In 1906, General Schlieffen retired from the army. From the operational ideas of Schlieffen they placed the emphasis on speed, flank attacks, encirclements and decisive battle. Six weeks later, Europe found itself on the brink of the 20th centurys first world war. In World War I, both Russia and France wanted to battle Germany. As well as the fact that Germany's army simply wasn't strong enough. Schlieffen replaced the Clausewitzian concept of Schwerpunkt (centre of gravity) in operational command with the idea of continuous forward movement designed to annihilate the enemy. Thus, in order to win, Schlieffen knew the German army would have to defeat its opponents quickly and decisively. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Required fields are marked *. The Schlieffen plan had failed to knock the French out of the war. why so many soldiers survived the trenches, how Pack Up Your Troubles became the viral hit. 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. 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. The rest of the German forces had to fall back to keep in line with them. France had to end the war. Catastrophe 1914. Moltke ordered a German withdrawal toward the River Aisne. They'd expected Belgium not to fight back and allow German control but Belgium did. The plan for this strategy, which Schlieffen, the German General Staff created, had an important effect on the war. There are many ways of incorporating World War 1 and the themes of friendship, impact and reconciliation into your classes. It was a plan for Germany to avoid fighting at its eastern and western fronts at the same time. The Schlieffen Plan seemed to be working. https://www.britannica.com/event/Schlieffen-Plan, Spartacus Educational - Biography of Schlieffen Plan, Russia had just been defeated by the Japanese. 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. Germany had trouble controlling the seas and that is one reason they lost the war. Schlieffen's doctrine formed the basis of 'blitzkrieg' In other words, he foresaw the need to maintain the initiative. The Allies believed that 'blitzkrieg' was dependent on new technology, such as tanks and dive-bombers The bridges of Paris were mined in preparation for blowing them up in case the German troops reached the capital. Soldiers complained that this kind of warfare was more strenuous than earlier mobile battles. 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. The BEF had sailed for France believing that they and their French ally were well equipped and well trained to fight a modern war. With Germanys defeat in 1918, the German military blamed the Schlieffen Plan as flawed and the cause of their defeat. Klucks army sat on the far right of the German invasion force. THE GREAT WAR covers the events exactly 100 years ago: The story of World War I in realtime. Its role was to advance deep into France and swing around Paris, surrounding the French capital and any forces based near it.