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). The German Army was moving too fast for their supply lines to keep up, and the soldiers were weary and underfed. In 1914, German units inevitably outfought their opponents whenever they encountered each other on the battlefield. First World War resources. Required fields are marked *. The Importance of the Battle of Bunker Hill, The Death Toll During the Plague of Justinian, A Lasting Legacy: The Ships of the Great White Fleet, timeline of the history of the United States. The Schlieffen Plan was an operational plan used by the Germans to take over France and Belgium and carried out in August 1914. The Belgians fell back to Antwerp, their last redoubt, leaving the Germans free to advance through the rest of the country. In fact, it continued until the end of World War 1 in 1918. 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. Europe Goes To War, Knopf, 2013.Hirschfeld, Gerhard. The second reason is the Russian army getting mobilized quickly. Germany was surrounded by her enemies on every border. Shocked by their experience, the Allied military observers who had survived the fall of France attributed their defeat to the completely new form of warfare pioneered by the Wehrmacht - the blitzkrieg. Seeing that Kluck had extended his forces and exposed his right flank, he saw a weakness to exploit. answer choices Russia mobilised its army more quickly than expected. Your email address will not be published. This failure had great significance as it largely impacted World War I. The Schlieffen Plan changed a little as the European tension increased. Germany lost World War II. It called for 80% of German forces along the western border, and 20% on the eastern border. It was designed for a war between France on one side and the German Empire, Austria-Hungary, and Italy on the other. Following an order from Colonel Hentsch, German forces fell back to the Aisne River and began to dig in. Schlieffen was very worried about Germanys position with Russia and France. Copyright 2023 History in Charts | Powered by Astra WordPress Theme. They attacked in the morning and it lasted all day. The First World War. The uniqueness of the Schlieffen Plan was that it ran counter to prevailing German military wisdom, which was principally derived from Carl von Clausewitzs seminal work On War (1832) and the strategic thought of the elder Helmuth von Moltke. Instead, Germany went on the offensive on the Western Front, despite not having the manpower. WHO IS REPLYING TO MY COMMENTS? There are six main reasons the Schlieffen Plan failed. 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. The poor communication that frontline commanders and army headquarters had in Berlin was not helping Moltke to control his campaign. The plan for the war made it very difficult to find a diplomatic solution. The Germans relied on trains to quickly transport their troops but many train lines were destroyed. What would have happened if the Schlieffen Plan had succeeded? Required fields are marked * Comment * Name * If this happened then Germany assumed France would also attack them as she was a friend of Russia. An attack of the south would ensure what the German planners hoped for: that their sweeping movement would capture even more French troops. Belgium told them to stop. THE GREAT WAR covers the events exactly 100 years ago: The story of World War I in realtime. Germany could place their military might on one frontier, and then move it to another one. The Schlieffen plan failed because Germans underestimated Russia and the plan depended on rapid deployment, which was resisted by Belgium. So he only needed a small defensive force toward Russia while Germany was fighting France. Find out more about how the BBC is covering the. Further summaries have been discovered over subsequent decades, opening new debates about Schlieffens true intentions and the implementation of his plan. France had to be defeated - and this did not happen. He made the Schlieffen Plan in 1905. Each plan called for a different overall strategy, including allocation of manpower and tactics. When war broke out in 1914, his plan was adopted by another leader, Helmuth von Moltke. At precisely the same time the Schlieffen Plan was put into action, its opposite, the Frenchs Plan XVII, was enacted. He was sure that if Germany were to fight a war against Russia and France at the same time, it would not be able to win. Six weeks later, Europe found itself on the brink of the 20th centurys first world war. Once in French territory, the German attackers would then pivot south in a hinge-like movement, enveloping the French army. 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. It is little known that Alfred von Schlieffen, whom the strategy is named after, actually devised two separate plans for war. war, France, Germany, Britain, Russia, Belgium, Schlieffen Plan. In a two front war the Schlieffen Plan called for a defensive first strategy, followed by strategic counterattacks. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), mobilized quickly and was thrown into battle in northern France. He was younger and his plan was different than Schlieffens. The Schlieffen plan was designed to encircle the French in Belgium and cut off their retreat to the Marne. With Italian neutrality, neither had a chance to work, Your email address will not be published. This is a transcript from the video series World War I: The Great War. The resistance of the Belgians and the BEF prevented this. Instead, they fought on land. Free essay example: "The Schlieffen Plan failed because the German high command made too many mistakes in August and September 1914". 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 German general Schlieffen counted on two things. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Thus, in order to win, Schlieffen knew the German army would have to defeat its opponents quickly and decisively. In reality, the way in which the Wehrmacht fought, their 'doctrine' in today's parlance, was based more upon ideas than technology. The Schlieffen plan was made before World War I. The plans weaknesseswere already beginning to show, although the German commanders chose not to see them. After Schlieffens retirement as Chief of Staff in 1906, it was updated by his successor, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke. It seemed clear to him, given the Alliances, that one day Germany would be at war with both Russia and its ally France. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. WHAT IS THE GREAT WAR PROJECT? 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'. He proposed in 1905 that Germanys advantage over France and Russiaits likely opponents in a continental warwas that the two were separated. A classic description of Europe at the time was of a powder keg just waiting to explode. It was supposed to be the solution for a quick victory against arch enemy France by invading Belgium and the Netherlands to circumvent French defenses. In the first days of World War I, many Germans felt like they bonded with each other. Count Alfred von Schlieffen died on January 4th, 1913. The Schlieffen Plan was a German war strategy theorised by Alfred von Schlieffen and enacted in 1914 by Helmuth von Moltke. One day later, Germany invaded Belgium because of the Schlieffen Plan. Though a seemingly logical idea, the Schlieffen plan failed tragically for the Germans. All of these reasons combined to make the Schlieffen plan fail. They had promised to protect Belgium from enemies back in 1839. The plan failed because it wasnt realistic, requiring a flawless unfolding of events which never occurs in wartime. That lead to the turning point in this war because they could not fight on the sea anymore. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. It does have some truth in it, but there is more to it than this statement says. The decision to mobilize was made by the government, not by the generals. Belgium refused to let Germany pass through their land without fighting. Indy Neidell takes you on a journey into the past to show you what really happened and how it all could spiral into more than four years of dire war. 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 operational ideas of Schlieffen they placed the emphasis on speed, flank attacks, encirclements and decisive battle. Germany went on the offensive against France, but with only 80% of their forces as the Russians tied up the other 20% on the eastern border. Schlieffen realized that it would be hard to break through the heavily defended Burgundian Gate. From the Lecture Series: World War IThe Great War, December 1, 2017 History, Military History, World History. 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. 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. Raymond Limbach is an independent historian who has an M.A. Germany had trouble controlling the seas and that is one reason they lost the war. It called for the violation of Belgian and Dutch neutrality by invading both those countries to achieve surprise in a vast attack on France. The Maginot Line: the Allies expected a protracted, defensive war, The Allies believed that 'blitzkrieg' was dependent on new technology, such as tanks and dive-bombers, Schlieffen's doctrine formed the basis of 'blitzkrieg', Guderain recognised the importance of tanks. In addition, as the Germans marched through France, their advance slowed. There were a number of shortcomings associated with the plan. Germany invaded neutral countries to the west, which made things much worse and unleashed the war with them. With Germanys defeat in 1918, the German military blamed the Schlieffen Plan as flawed and the cause of their defeat. Eventually, it led to Germanys downfall. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. The Germans also downplayed the political ramifications of invading neutral Belgium. The German advance, however, had been slowed, with the Schlieffen Plan running behind schedule at crucial moments. They moved through Belgium, then plunged into France. 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. The battles are remembered but not the schemes that led to them. All of these reasons combined to make the Schlieffen plan fail. Without checking with his superiors, Kluck swung his forces southeast. His plan called for four army groups, called the Bataillon Carr, to mass on the extreme German right. Simply put, Germanys geopolitical challenge was the possibility of war on two fronts simultaneously. Next. Learn more about World War I: Destruction and Rebirth. This was shown when there was a lot of killing at the Battle of Verdun in 1916. It relied on maintaining a near-impossible momentum. The Schlieffen Plan failed due to French resistance at the First Battle of the Marne on the Western Front and the European powers participated in four years of trench warfare. The Schlieffen plan was also the only Germany's plan for war ("GCSE Bitesize: Extra Facts." BBC. As Schlieffen retired from service in 1906, Helmuth von Moltke (the Younger) went on to replace him. Were happy if we can contribute with our videos. As well as the fact that Germany's army simply wasn't strong enough. blitzkrieg was not a brand-new way of waging war. Despite the difficulties the Schlieffen Plan actually looked as if it might succeed. 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. Your email address will not be published. Germany went to war with Russia on August 1st, 1914. https://www.history.com/news/was-germany-doomed-in-world-war-i-by-the-schlieffen-plan. At the centre of the Schlieffen Plan was that France would be defeated first, making it difficult for Russia and Britain to continue fighting. This time, though, rather than invading France by way of North Belgium, Germany defied Frances expectations by invading instead from South Belgium. Interested in reaching out? He was born on February 28th, 1833. He is posting links, facts and backstage material on our social media channels. However, the modern technology was merely used to enhance the capabilities that had already been provided, thanks to the army's strategic doctrine. Neither side wanted a naval war because whoever won would control trade routes. Schlieffen Plan , Plan of attack used by the German armies at the outbreak of World War I. In March 1918, they found such a means. The plan failed because it wasn't realistic, requiring a flawless unfolding of events which never occurs in wartime. The events in May and June 1940 proved that this outdated vision of war could not have been further from reality. While the Allies relied upon tanks to break through the stalemate of the trenches in 1918, the Germans used a largely infantry force empowered by a sound tactical doctrine. Accordingly, convinced that they were facing a repeat of the German strategy of 1914, Allied commanders moved the bulk of their forces from the Franco-Belgian border into defensive positions within Belgium to await the continuation of the German attack. They thought that Russia would be slower than Germany because they needed more time to gather their soldiers. Germany also had better-trained troops. The plan was to invade France and capture Paris before the Russians could mobilize. While the Allies suffered as heavily as the Germans, they gained a strategic victory. 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.. What assumptions were the Schlieffen plan based on? The Schlieffen Plan - Why Britain Joined WW1 - GCSE HistoryThe Schlieffen Plan was the whole reason why Britain joined WW1. To meet the possibility of Germanys facing a war against France in the west and Russia in the east, Schlieffen proposed that, instead of aiming the first strike against Russia, Germany should aim a rapid, decisive blow with a large force at Frances flank through Belgium, then sweep around and crush the French armies against a smaller German force in the south. 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. Why did the Schlieffen Plan fail? The central groupconsisting of six infantry corps, Landwehr brigades, and a cavalry divisionwas to attack the French at La Fer and Paris, eventually encircling the capital on the north and east. Heavy German guns were brought up to demolish other forts. It was only defeated by the Battle of the Marne. Life in the Trenches After the initial invasion of France by the Germans, the Allied troops pushed the German troops back to a stalemate position. The Allied armies, completely unprepared for the rapid, mobile operations of the Germans, had simply been out-fought at every turn. Always outnumbered by its enemies, it would have to match quantity with quality. Moltke ordered a German withdrawal toward the River Aisne. History. And the German solution to these problems was to apply Schlieffen's operational principles to small units as well as to large ones. He was willing to let them take back Alsace-Lorraine for a short time. The failure of the Schlieffen Plan also resulted from several incorrect assumptions that hampered the attack. This became a concern, the result of which was that the German armies moved closer together. This caught French troops off-guard and they soon surrendered. Above all else, this doctrine created aggressive and flexible leaders. The failure of the Schlieffen Plan ultimately forced Germany to fight a two-front war from which they could not overcome and did not have the colonies to support the war . 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. Made by von Schlieffen, Germany b. this doctrine created aggressive and flexible leaders. Kluck believed it was a safe move as he knew of no significant concentrations of enemy troops near Paris. This doctrine integrated the operational-level ideas taught by Schlieffen with the tactical concepts developed during World War One. The rest of the German forces had to fall back to keep in line with them. Most of the comments are written by our social media manager Florian. British soldiers may not have been needed in this part of the war. They did not believe the British would stand firm on their commitment to defend Belgium and they would not become bogged down in a continental European war. 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.