The failure of the Schlieffen Plan also resulted from several incorrect assumptions that hampered the attack. First, they underestimated how quickly the Russians could deploy their troops. Six weeks were estimated, leading Moltke
Helmuth von Moltke the Elder
Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke was a Prussian field marshal. The chief of staff of the Prussian Army for thirty years, he is regarded as the creator of a new, more modern method of directing armies in the field. He commanded troops in Europe and the middle-east, commandi…
Why did the Schlieffen Plan ultimately collapse?
The Schlieffen Plan ultimately collapsed because the Germans thought that they could attack and defeat France and then attack and defeat Russia but in their first battle against France they had been defeated which ruined the plan.
What does if the Schlieffen plan succeeded?
The daring Schlieffen Plan was Germany's plan to fight a two front war in the West and East. However it failed and the Western Front devolved into trench war...
Was the Schlieffen Plan foredoomed to failure?
The Schlieffen plan was not foredoomed to failure, yet it it did fail due to three factors: the reduction to the right wing on the Western Front, the choice to avoid the path through Holland, and the poor coordination and regulation of the German armies. Alfred von Schlieffen built this plan around the inevitable outcome of a two front war.
Why did Germany need to implement the Schlieffen Plan?
- Avoiding a two-front war. From the 1870s, German strategists had one particular concern. ...
- Origins of the plan. ...
- Invading neutrals. ...
- Opposition to the plan. ...
- The plan in action. ...
- Evaluating the Schlieffen Plan. ...
- Problems of supply. ...
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How did Moltke increase the size of the German left wing?
Consequently, Moltke planned to commit more German troops to Germany’s eastern border with Russia, whilst in the push against the French , he increased the size of the German left wing to twenty-three divisions by using additional reserves and kept the right wing that would push through Belgium at the planned fifty-five divisions. This should have no effect on the plan as a whole. Everything he did seemed prudent in the face of changed circumstances.
What was the French plan XVII?
The French Plan XVII constituted a frontal attack in Alsace-Lorraine. The French advanced but were stopped by well-defended machine gun posts. They lost 300,000 men in just two weeks. They realised that they were in danger of being encircled by the German 7th army and so executed a tactical retreat. Meanwhile, the British landed their Expeditionary Force of some 150,000 men at French ports. But if the war was indeed to be won quickly, it was always more likely that it would be the Germans with their Schlieffen Plan that would be the winners. So, what went wrong?
Why was Moltke criticized?
Moltke had been criticized, even blamed for Germany’s initial failure to secure victory, because of the changes he had made to the Schlieffen Plan before the outbreak of war. However, Russia had recovered from defeat in the Russo-Japanese War much more quickly than had been anticipated. Also, its railway-building had progressed quickly so that it would be able to mobilise more speedily. Consequently, it was prudent to commit more German troops to defend their shared border against Russian forces. For their part, the French were committed to an offensive into Alsace-Lorraine so it also seemed prudent to commit more German troops against the French too.
What was the significance of the Battle of Marne?
It was this French attack that became known as the Battle of the Marne lasting from September 5 th to September 12 th that was to prove crucial. It was nothing less than a battle to save France. The Germans pitted over one and a quarter million men against a million French and the remaining 125,000 that made up the BEF. The German army, which had been advancing for 33 consecutive days was exhausted, its supply lines stretched (they had advanced to a point some 150 kilometres from their nearest railheads) and, faced with combined British and French assaults, Kluck’s army was forced to move back and so Bulow’s army too had to move back lest the gap between the two armies widen to the point where they could be outflanked. The Schlieffen Plan had failed. For Germany, Moltke was replaced by Erich von Falkenhayn as commander-in-chief (Moltke went off to have a nervous breakdown) and new strategies had to be worked out.
How many casualties did the Germans suffer in the Battle of Ypres?
But it meant that Germany had lost the race to the sea. In these first desperate months of war, the Germans had suffered 667,000 casualties (killed, wounded or missing), the French 995,000 and the British 96,000; the British Expeditionary Force was all but wiped out. This was a scale of loss unimaginable before the war had started and, as winter approached, both sides accepted that their forces were too exhausted to continue. A stalemate had been reached.
What happened on September 2nd?
In the city, trenches were being dug and barricades built on the approach roads leading into the city.
Why was Napoleon beside himself?
Napoleon would have been beside himself because in 1914 German soldiers marched on empty stomachs. Communications were very difficult too. Radio was in its infancy and the 1st army had only two transmitters and, in any case, there was only one receiver at army HQ. It also took time to decipher the codes.
What was the Schlieffen Plan?
Schlieffen Plan , Plan of attack used by the German armies at the outbreak of World War I. It was named after its developer, Count Alfred von Schlieffen (1833–1913), former chief of the German general staff. To meet the possibility of Germany’s facing a war against France in the west and Russia in the east, Schlieffen proposed that, ...
Who modified the Schlieffen Plan?
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. Map of the Schlieffen Plan.
Why did the Schlieffen plan fail?
The Schlieffen plan failed because Germans underestimated Russia and the plan depended on rapid deployment, which was resisted by Belgium . This plan was designed by General Count Alfred von Schlieffen in December, 1905, with the aim of defeating France and Russia. The execution of this plan compelled Britain to declare war on Germany in 1914.
Why did Germany create a plan to defeat France?
The plan was to defeat France quickly, then attack Russia, because they knew that Russia would take a long time to mobilize troops. According the Schlieffen Plan, German had 6 weeks to secure victory against France before fighting Russia.
What forces were able to hold back Germany?
However, the Belgian forces, assisted by the British Expeditionary Force, was able to hold back the Germany. Russian troops mobilized within 10 days, forcing Germany to withdraw her troops and concentrate on the eastern border. On September 5, 1914, France stopped the advancement of Germany, leading to the failure of the plan.
Why did Germany want to fight Russia in 1914?
In 1914, Germans believed in a possible war with Russia. If the war happened, France would come in to support Russia because they were allies. This implied that Germany would face attacks on both sides of her borders. To prevent such a situation from occurring, Germany had to create a plan. The plan was to defeat France quickly, then attack Russia, because they knew that Russia would take a long time to mobilize troops.
What led to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan?
The combination of the execution of the wrong strategy and a series of key incorrect assumptions led to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan. With it Germany was forced to settle into a brutal war of attrition that dramatically lowered their probability of victory in World War I.
What Was the Schlieffen Plan?
The Schlieffen Plan was the German grand strategy to fight, and win, a two front war against France and Russia. The plan was devised and wargamed in 1905 by then-Chief of the General Staff of the German Army, Alfred von Schlieffen.
Why did the French advance east?
The French advancement east would make it easier for the Schlieffen Plan to envelop the French army when it hinged south after making its way through Belgium.
Which two fronts did Molke implement?
Importantly, despite the obviousness of a two-front war against both Russia and France, Molke decided to implement both Aufmarsch I West and Aufmarsch II West.
How long did it take for the French to attack France?
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. Schlieffen anticipated fierce French resistance, and thus knew that this strategy would only succeed if the entire Germany army was deployed against France.
What would happen if Germany defeated France in 6 weeks?
It was believed that Russia would be slow to mobilize for war, and if France was defeated in 6 weeks, Germany could then deal with the Russian juggernaut. With these revisions and ultimately incorrect assumptions, the brilliant Schlieffen Plan was doomed for failure.
What was the name of the war that Germany had prepared for?
Upon the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the European powers were 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.
What was Schlieffen's plan?
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. At Cannae the Carthaginian general Hannibal defeated a much larger Roman force with a successful double envelopment, turning the Roman army’s flanks and destroying it. 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. He proposed in 1905 that Germany’s advantage over France and Russia —its likely opponents in a continental war—was that the two were separated. Germany, therefore, could eliminate one while the other was kept in check. Once one ally was defeated, Germany would be able to combine its forces to defeat the other through massive troop concentration and rapid deployment.
How did the Schlieffen Plan address the problem of war on two fronts?
The Germans’ Schlieffen Plan addressed the problem of war on two fronts by throwing almost the entire German army into a sweeping offensive through neutral Belgium to capture Paris and the French army in a gigantic envelope. Troops could then be transported east to meet the slower-moving…
How did Schlieffen achieve Hannibal's victory?
Schlieffen wished to emulate Hannibal by provoking an Entscheidungsschlacht (“decisive battle”), using a massive force, in a single act , to bring a swift and conclusive victory. He decided that France was the enemy to be defeated first, with Russia held off until the French were annihilated. His plan called for four army groups, called the Bataillon Carré, to mass on the extreme German right. 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. Those forces were to wheel south and east after passing through neutral Belgium, turning into the flanks and rear of the hardened French defenses along the German border. After crossing the Somme west of Paris at Abbeville and Chaulnes, the main body of the Bataillon Carré would turn to engage the defenders of the French capital, with the Ersatzkorps lending support. The central group—consisting of six infantry corps, Landwehr brigades, and a cavalry division—was to attack the French at La Feré and Paris, eventually encircling the capital on the north and east. 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 last group consisted of three cavalry divisions, three infantry corps, two Ersatzkorps, and a reserve corps on the left wing. That last group was to block any French attempt to counterattack, and it could be detached and transported to the extreme right if necessary. The Upper Rhine to the Swiss border and the Lower Alsace were to be defended by Landwehr brigades.
What was Schlieffen's strategic plan?
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. At Cannae the Carthaginian general Hannibal defeated a much larger Roman force with a successful double envelopment, turning the Roman army’s flanks and destroying it.
Why did Schlieffen attack France?
Schlieffen insisted on an immediate attack on France in 1905 as a “preventive war,” arguing that Russia had just been defeated by the Japanese and France was involved in a crisis in Morocco.
Why was the German Navy against the Schlieffen Plan?
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.
What was the name of the German army that was formed to mass on the German right?
His plan called for four army groups, called the Bataillon Carré, to mass on the extreme German right. 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.
What was the failure of the Schlieffen Plan?
Failure of the Schlieffen Plan. The Schlieffen Plan was put into action by Von Moltke on August 2, 1914. It however had a couple of weaknesses, especially due to Von Moltke’s modifications which doomed it to failure. The Russians reached the border much sooner and in a greater army than expected, forcing Moltke to send more troops to ...
Who proposed the Schlieffen Plan?
The Schlieffen plan was a battle plan that was proposed by Alfred, graf (count) von Schlieffen in 1905, which suggested that Germany could win a quick Franco-German war while fending of Russia. Helmuth von Moltke, Schlieffen’s successor, decided to implement this plan during World War I, but heavily modified it, ...
What was the turning point of the Battle of Marne?
They came very close to succeeding with the plan, but the Battle of the Marne was the turning point where it became evident that the plan would fail. Loading...
Which countries attacked France?
Attacking France via Holland, Belgium and Luxembourg with 90% of the German army as soon as Russia starts mobilizing
Did Moltke send more troops to the Russian Front than planned?
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. He advanced with a much smaller attacking army than Schlieffen had recommended.
A Plan to Avoid A Two-Fronted War
Early Successes
- In 1914, the war began. 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. Belgium relied upon its concrete fortifications to hold up the Germans. …
Slowing Down
- The plan’s weaknesses were already beginning to show, although the German commanders chose not to see them. A 200-mile advance through Belgium and France, with fierce fighting along the way, had exhausted many German troops. The plan’s 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 for…
Kluck’s Misjudgement
- Then General Alexander von Kluck, commander of the German First Army, made a critical error. Kluck’s army sat on the far right of the German invasion force. Its role was to advance deep into France and swing around Paris, surrounding the French capital and any forces based near it. Fighting in late August caused General Karl von Bülow, commander of the Second Army, seriou…
The Battle of The Marne
- Marshal Joseph Joffre, the French Commander in Chief, had been assembling a new army near Paris. Seeing that Kluck had extended his forces and exposed his right flank, he saw a weakness to exploit. On September 5, as the Germans continued their march south, Joffre struck. Franco-British forces crashed into the side of Kluck’s army. Six days of battles followed, known collectiv…