P.S. Omissions? Then General Alexander von Kluck, commander of the German First Army, made a critical error. 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. In 1906, General Schlieffen retired from the army. He was willing to let them take back Alsace-Lorraine for a short time. 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. Answer (1 of 8): Broadly speaking, the plan was too ambitious. But from time to time, Indy reads and answers comments with his personal account, too. Updates? It seemed to some that this represented the triumph of military technology over old-style fortifications, a success, for the cult of the offensive. From the Lecture Series: World War IThe Great War, December 1, 2017 History, Military History, World History. This assumption proved to be false, as Britain joined the war just days after the German invasion of Belgium. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The First World War. Belgium refused to let Germany pass through their land without fighting. 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. Were happy if we can contribute with our videos. However, if considered from the perspective of tactical competence, the plan can be considered as successful. English and French troops had time to mobilize. 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). Schlieffen also stressed the need to keep the enemy reacting to German moves. The Germans relied on trains to quickly transport their troops but many train lines were destroyed. This meant that German would be attacked on both sides of her country. Their weapons and strategies had moved on in 25 years, and they did not fall as easily as Schlieffen had anticipated. To read more on what we're all about, learn more about us here. There were troops around Paris, and they were about to punish him for not sticking to the plan. Eventually, it led to Germanys downfall. Timeline of the History of the United States. There were a number of shortcomings associated with the plan. 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. The plan failed because it wasnt realistic, requiring a flawless unfolding of events which never occurs in wartime. Their solution was to fight Russia and France at the same time. After Schlieffens retirement as Chief of Staff in 1906, it was updated by his successor, Field Marshal Helmuth von Moltke. The second reason is the Russian army getting mobilized quickly. The German advance had been hampered by fiercer Belgian resistance than had been anticipatedas well as by the destruction of railroads and other strategic assets by the Belgians or the Frenchand was also slowed by German anxieties by the fear of snipers. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. This was shown when there was a lot of killing at the Battle of Verdun in 1916. Germany would attack France first by traveling through Belgium, and take Paris in about 3 weeks. Indy explains the numerous reasons why the Schlieffen Plan was doomed to fail. In 1914, the war began. The events in May and June 1940 proved that this outdated vision of war could not have been further from reality. Failure forced Germany to settle into a brutal war of attrition that dramatically lowered their probability of victory in World War I. They were marching east of Paris instead of going west and encircling the city. The Schlieffen Plan, devised by Germany, was intended to force France into submission and then invade Russia. In-text: (BBC - Standard Grade Bitesize History - The Schlieffen Plan : Revision, Page 3, 2015) Your Bibliography: Bbc.co.uk. The retreat signaled the end of any hope of completing 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). Raymond Limbach is an independent historian who has an M.A. Fighting the British and French together on the Western Front was never part of the German strategy. The French grand strategy, titled Plan XVII, was to attack Germany across the border at their former provinces of Alsace and Lorraine, south of Belgium and Luxembourg. https://www.history.com/news/was-germany-doomed-in-world-war-i-by-the-schlieffen-plan. 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 slowing down. Schlieffen realized that it would be hard to break through the heavily defended Burgundian Gate. The BEF was sent to join the line of French troops defending the border with Belgium. In pursuing that goal of total annihilation, Schlieffen also broke with Moltke, whose strategy sought to neutralize ones opponent. 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'. Each plan called for a different overall strategy, including allocation of manpower and tactics. 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. Both the original Schlieffen Plan and Moltkes rewrite were locked at the Reichsarchiv at Potsdam, and access to the documents was strictly limited. When Austria-Hungary opened the conflict with an attack on the Serbian capital of Belgrade, the first domino fell, and Europe went to war. 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. Schlieffen Plan, battle plan first proposed in 1905 by Alfred, Graf (count) von Schlieffen, chief of the German general staff, that was designed to allow Germany to wage a successful two-front war. The battle was in France, 30 miles from Paris. Before that, they had hold in the west and attack in the east.. As 29 German divisions advanced through the Netherlands and Belgium in the north, 45 further divisions, including about 2,400 tanks in 7 divisions, burst through the Allied right flank and drove towards the English Channel. And German strategists, most notably Alfred von Schlieffen, had concluded that Germany could not win a long, protracted war against such opposition. His adjustment left more German forces in the east. The Schlieffen Plan, devised a decade before the start of World War I, outlined a strategy for Germany to avoid fighting at its eastern and western fronts simultaneously. After a year the plan was revised again (1906). The Schlieffen plan made several assumptions: There would be minimal resistance from Belgium. 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. Why did the Schlieffen Plan fail? 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. If you have interesting historical questions, just post them and we will answer in our OUT OF THE TRENCHES videos. You can find a selection of answers to the most frequently asked questions here: http://bit.ly/OOtrenches CAN I SHOW YOUR VIDEOS IN CLASS? why did the schlieffen plan fail bbc bitesizeliver shih tzu puppies He did not solve the political problem of violating neutrality, but he lessened it by declining to invade Holland. However, in order to maximize German flexibility and preparedness, Schlieffen also devised an offensive strategy for a one-front war solely with France. Schlieffen and his successor, Helmuth von Moltke the Younger, trained the German army well in what they termed Bewegungskrieg, or 'war of manoeuvre'. A 200-mile advance through Belgium and France, with fierce fighting along the way, had exhausted many German troops. The Schlieffen plan was designed to encircle the French in Belgium and cut off their retreat to the Marne. The execution of this plan compelled Britain to declare war on Germany in 1914. It is easy to argue that the failure of the Schlieffen plan was a failure of execution. The plan. She feared an attack fir many reasons and so the Schlieffen plan was born. Germany could place their military might on one frontier, and then move it to another one. Neither side wanted a naval war because whoever won would control trade routes. The Great War. What assumptions were the Schlieffen plan based on? Der Erste Weltkrieg. It seemed clear to him, given the Alliances, that one day Germany would be at war with both Russia and its ally France. That would lead to a war on two fronts, dividing Germanys military resources. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Always outnumbered by its enemies, it would have to match quantity with quality. The Teaching Company, LLC. His treatise, Cannae, was translated into English for military students to read at Fort Leavenworth. Had the German army been mechanised at the outbreak of World War One, it is likely that the outcome of the war would have been very different. The plan, however, was flawed from the start. With soldiers from Britain fighting alongside France, Germanys plan to attack quickly was slowed down because they faced resistance and needed more time for their troops to get there. Why was it that Britain and France were outfought at every turn? On August 7, the main citadel of Liege, a key strategic point that was supposed to hold up the German advance, was captured. Gerhard Ritter, a prominent German historian, published those studies in 1956 and concluded that the Schlieffen Plan was German doctrine prior to World War I. On that day, it also declared war on France and sent its army through Belgium to attack Paris. The Schlieffen Plan was a German war strategy theorised by Alfred von Schlieffen and enacted in 1914 by Helmuth von Moltke. That began a political firestorm within the German Confederation, causing later ministers of war to be more cautious about manpower proposals. Once one ally was defeated, Germany would be able to combine its forces to defeat the other through massive troop concentration and rapid deployment. 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. His plan was revised at the outbreak of World War I. If you are a teacher and have questions about our show, you can get in contact with us on one of our social media presences. The German Schlieffen Plan had prepared the nation for this exact moment and now was the time to implement it. The Schlieffen plan failed because Germans underestimated Russia and the plan depended on rapid deployment, which was resisted by Belgium. Firstly, Germany did not implement the correct Schlieffen Plan. All of these reasons combined to make the Schlieffen plan fail. Moltke believed that Russia would slowly mobilize for war, and if they defeated France in 6 weeks, Germany could then later deal with the Russian juggernaut. Moltke estimated six weeks for deployment, leading Germany to believe France could be defeated before the Russians fully mobilized. Corrections? This view that the Germans used technology, namely the tank and the dive-bomber, to create a new and unique form of warfare has often dominated understanding of how the Germans fought in World War Two. The plan was to invade France and capture Paris before the Russians could mobilize. ), check out our partner sites KidsKonnect, SchoolHistory, and HelpTeaching for hundreds of facts, worksheets, activities, quizzes, courses, and more! Why did the Schlieffen Plan fail? At the centre of the Schlieffen Plan was that France would be defeated first, making it difficult for Russia and Britain to continue fighting. Innovators such as Heinz Guderian and Erich von Manstein recognised that the protection given by tanks increased the ability of the German army to manoeuvre in the face of enemy artillery, and that this enhanced speed and mobility. The Schlieffen plan was a plan of attack for Germany, mobilization and war were the same thing. This page has been archived and is no longer updated. With Italian neutrality, neither had a chance to work, Your email address will not be published. Before 1914-18, Germany had perceived itself as surrounded by enemies who were superior both in numbers and resources. to continue to Slides. 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. German politicians expected that, in the event of war, France and Russia would support each other against Germany. Even if Russia was ready, Germany would need six weeks to mobilize. Germany and Austria would beat Russian forces. This was From the operational ideas of Schlieffen they placed the emphasis on speed, flank attacks, encirclements and decisive battle. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF), mobilized quickly and was thrown into battle in northern France. 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. French forces were in full retreat. French and British forces counterattacked on the Marne from September 6 to 10, 1914. Around 25% of the men who fought at the Marne were killed or injured. He was born on February 28th, 1833. The plan for the war made it very difficult to find a diplomatic solution. Plan XVII, which was launched on August 14, 1914, broke against German defenses in Lorraine and suffered enormous losses. The fate of the Schlieffen Plan proceeded a little more positively at first and seemed to be succeeding, but then it broke down in what afterward was called the Miracle of the Marne by French patriots, a truly remarkable moment of salvation and national mobilization to expel the German invader. They all came together and supported WWI. Because Europe was dividing into two fronts, he thought that Russia and France were serious enemies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The objective of the alliance was to encourage co-operation against the perceived threat of Germany. He contacted Kluck and asked for help. 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. Some of the reasons this plan failed was because. The Upper Rhine to the Swiss border and the Lower Alsace were to be defended by Landwehr brigades. Germany, therefore, could eliminate one while the other was kept in check. This time, unlike the Allies, the Germans intended to fight the war offensively, and win quickly. This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. We are happy if you show our channel to your friends, fellow students, classmates, professors, teachers or neighbours. With that plan, Schlieffen believed, Gemany could defeat France within six weeks, the campaign concluding with a decisive super Cannae in the south. 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. Six days of battles followed, known collectively as the Battle of the Marne. 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 . While the Allies suffered as heavily as the Germans, they gained a strategic victory. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Schlieffen's doctrine formed the basis of 'blitzkrieg' There were heavy casualties on both sides. The Germans also downplayed the political ramifications of invading neutral Belgium. The Schlieffen plan was also the only Germany's plan for war ("GCSE Bitesize: Extra Facts." BBC. Die Bchse der Pandora: Geschichte des Ersten Weltkrieges, C.H. Since its inception, the Russians had improved militarily, and he did not want to have them invade Germany while he fought France. WHAT ARE YOUR SOURCES? The Belgium people fought against the Germans, slowing them down. Schlieffen Plan has been often considered as a demonstration of Field Marshal Helmuth von . He reduced German forces that would attack France and invaded through Belgium instead of the Netherlands during the initial offensive. A Combat History of the First World War, Oxford University Press, 2013.Hart, Peter. Despite the difficulties the Schlieffen Plan actually looked as if it might succeed. Despite a vicious attack, the French retreated lest they risk encirclement by the Germans advancing through Belgium. Once France was defeated then troops would be sent from the west to the east to launch a subsequent counterattack on the Russians. Germany had trouble controlling the seas and that is one reason they lost the war. WHAT IS THE GREAT WAR PROJECT? He also decided to avoid invading the Netherlands, hoping to keep the British out of the war. France would surrender once Paris was taken, and then Germany would attack Russia. To accomplish this, he advocated the use of the. 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. Wirkung, Wahrnehmung, Analyse, Seehamer Verlag GmbH, 2000Leonhard, Jrn. The Russian blow would first fall upon the very weak Hapsburgs with the French standing mobilized on the German border. It meant sending the entire flanking force through Belgium, a greater logistical challenge. In March 1918, they found such a means. Of course, you can embed our videos on your website. Free essay example: "The Schlieffen Plan failed because the German high command made too many mistakes in August and September 1914". 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. Schlieffen Plan In 1904 France and Britain signed the Entente Cordiale (friendly understanding). Seeing that Kluck had extended his forces and exposed his right flank, he saw a weakness to exploit. n n The plan relied upon rapid movement. 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. Some of the reasons this plan failed was because. Under the direction of Hans von Seeckt, commanders fashioned the doctrine that the Wehrmacht was to employ in World War Two. That last group was to block any French attempt to counterattack, and it could be detached and transported to the extreme right if necessary. In other words, he foresaw the need to maintain the initiative. These units had the freedom to fight as they thought best, without having to refer constantly to a higher commander. Schlieffen anticipated fierce French resistance, and thus knew that success depended on the deployment of the entire Germany army against France. Recognising that battlefield conditions changed rapidly and that orders often became overtaken by events, the German army encouraged its commanders to make decisions without waiting for orders from above, thus allowing them to take advantage of fleeting opportunities as they arose. this doctrine created aggressive and flexible leaders. A classic description of Europe at the time was of a powder keg just waiting to explode. The Schlieffen plan could only have worked if events had gone perfectly. The victorious Allies looked upon the Schlieffen Plan as the source of German aggression against neutral countries, and it became the basis of war guilt and reparations. Aufmarsch II was an impractical plan. It would be easy to say that even if it had been successful that Germany would have won in a quick conflict.