War before 1914

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War before 1914

• War was often a quick affair
• Mobilization
• No one wanted to be the last in
• Conscription vs. Occupation
• Limited vs. Total War

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The Schlieffen Plan

• Alfred Von Schlieffen,GermanysGeneral Army
  Chief of Staff
• Instructed Devise a strategy that would be able
  to counter a joint attack
• Took 9 years to plan (1897 -1906)

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The Plan

• To allow a country to mobilise against you,
  without response, was like allowing someone to
  hold a loaded gun to you head without doing
  anything.

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The Schlieffen Plan

• Germanys plan for mobilisation
• Based on 3 ideasWar Germany vs. France AND
  RussiaFrance was weak (1870-10wks)Russia was
  strong, but slow (6 weeks)
• Also, to be considered Belgium Britian

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A Huge Hammer Blow to Paris

• Was seen as the best option
• 90 of German army
• Quick, decisive
• Result?

Germany
Paris
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The Schlieffen Plan, 1905
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Germany

• Wanted to avoid French forts on the border with
  Germany
• A scythe-like attack through Holland, Belgium and
  Luxembourg seemed the best option

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Predict the Problems

• Russia had
• France wasnt

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NEWS FLASH

• In 1906, Helmuth von Moltke replaces Alfred von
  Schlieffen as German Army Chief of Staff

• Interestingly, Schlieffen closed his careful
  plans by concluding that Germany would be too
  weak in numbers and transportation to take Paris.
  He believed that his plan would most likely fail.

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Helmuth von Moltke

• Modified the original planHolland was not to
  be invadedRoute ? flat plains of Belgium
  Belgiums small army would not be able to stop
  German forces34 divisions invade Belgium, 8
  would stop Russia in east.

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2nd August, 1914
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The Assumptions of von Moltke

• Russia would take _ weeks to mobilise
• France would be easily defeated in _ weeks
• Belgium would ___ _______ any German attack
• _________ would remain neutral.

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In Reality

• 2nd August 1914, German army invaded Luxembourg
  and Belgium according to plan.
• Germans were held up by the Belgium Army
• Belgium army was backed by the British
  Expeditionary Force (BEF)
• Russia moblised in 10 DAYS

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Cause Effect

• Because Russia moblised quickly
• Because Belgium resisted invasion
• Because the BEF arrived quickly

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Other points of Interest

• Theory 1 Germany dropped some bombs on
  Nuremburg to have a reason to blame attack
  France
• Theory 2 Train timetables were the deciding
  factor in the German and Russian mobilisation.
  Once they started, they couldnt be stopped!
• Theory 3 Every country took YEARS to plan their
  attack it was too much effort to modify it!
  When crisis arose there was no back up plan
  it was do or die. On August 1st Kaiser Wilhelm
  tried to pause the German mobilisation but since
  11,000 trains were on the move he was told he
  couldnt!

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Was the Schlieffen Plan a Success?

• NO

Why did it Fail?

• Reason 1
• Reason 2
• Reason 3
• Other Possibilities

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As a Result

• Across France there was a _____mile Front.
• Neither side could gain a decisive advantage.
  This is called a ______________.
• After this occurred, the winter was coming and
  the soldiers were forced to _________ ___. They
  formed _______.

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The Western Front
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The End For Now