Opening Moves and the Schlieffen plan THE FIRST WORLD WAR 1914 - 1918 Opening Moves and the Schlieffen plan

Why did Germany Needed a Plan? Stuck in the Middle Spells Vulnerability In 1907 Russia joined Britain and France (Entente Cordial) to make the Triple Entente........ But Russia was also allied to Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria.

The Schlieffen (Game) Plan The Germans loved to play war games to pass time, especially Von Schlieffen Count Alfred von Schlieffen

The Schlieffen Plan Handout The Schlieffen Plan was based on the theory that Germany would be at war with France and Russia at the same time. It did not prepare for many of the events that occurred in July and August 1914. It was based on the belief that, if the country went to war, Germany would be faced with a war on two fronts with France on one side and Russia on the other. The plan imagined a huge hammer-blow at Paris. Using 90% of its army, Germany planned to swinging down through Belgium and northern France. Its plan was to take out France in a quick, decisive campaign. The plan assumed that France was weak and could be beaten quickly in just 6 weeks, and that Russia was much stronger, but would take longer to mobilise its army. The plan began to go wrong on 30 July 1914, when Russia mobilised its army, but France did not. Germany was forced to invent a pretext (or excuse) to declare war on France on 3 August 1914. Things got worse when Britain declared war on Germany on 4 August 1914 because, in a Treaty of 1839, Britain had promised to defend Belgium. In the event, Russia took only 10 days to mobilise, and the German General was forced to send some troops to the eastern front, which weakened the main attack on Paris. When the German army asked permission to go through Belgium on 2 August 1914, the Belgians refused, so the German army had to fight its way through Belgium. This slowed it down and tired the soldiers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMRlSRRj0FI

In A Nutshell Encircling on the right side in the West, a taunt on the left to draw the enemy in, and a standard defence in the East

Strategic Optimism The Schlieffen Plan Counted on the slow mobilization of Russian forces due to lack of railways. Predicted 39 days for the fall of Paris, and 42 days for the defeat of France. But, underestimated the difficulties of supply and communication in forces so far advanced from command and supply lines Didn’t allow for ‘rogue’ commanders (like Moltke & Kluck) General Alfred Graf von Schlieffen

How do you think Britain should respond?

“Belgium is a nation, not a road” King Albert I of Belgium denied permission and proceeds to destroy strategic roads and bridges August 2, 1914 Germany declared war on France and marches into Luxemburg August 4, 1914 Great Britain declared war on Germany for violating Belgian neutrality Germany had already entered Belgium and begun night raids on its fortresses before asking permission to ‘pass through’

Alliances: The Domino Effect July 28th, 1914: Austria declares was on Serbia July 31, 1914: Russia announces full mobilization of its armed forces. August 1, 1914: Germany, taking the ‘defensive’ on Russia’s mobilization as a defacto declaration of war, declares war on Russia. August 3, 1914: Germany declares war on France. August 4, 1914: Germany declares war on neutral Belgium and invades in a right flanking move designed to defeat France quickly. As a result of this invasion, Britain declares war on Germany.