1. The German Plan to Win the War
The Schlieffen Plan
The German Plan to Win the War

2. As early as 1890, German High Command had thought about what Germany would do if she was at war with France and Russia
German General Alfred Von Schlieffen worked on this problem and devised the Schlieffen Plan

3. The plan called for a swift and decisive attack upon France
Schlieffen calculated that this offensive would not take more than 6 weeks

4. Once France had fallen, they would focus on Russia
Russia’s troops were not well trained nor disciplined
Schlieffen calculated that it would take the Russians weeks or months to mobilize
Also, Russia’s armies would have to cover great distances on poor roads and railways

6. The Plan
German troops would make a wide sweep through Belgium, fanning out as they entered France
Most troops would sweep behind Paris in a great arc coming up behind the French armies, which Schlieffen calculated would be close to the French-German border

8. The Risks Violation of Belgian neutrality
Britain had signed a treaty guaranteeing the protection of Belgian neutrality
Germany assumed that Belgium would not resist any attack and that Britain would remain neutral

9. The Reality
August 2, 1914, German army invades Belgium and Luxembourg according to the plan
The Belgians fought back, slowing the German advance by a couple of days

11. The Reality
Russia mobilized in just 10 days and Germany was forced to withdraw troops from the Schlieffen Plan to defend its eastern border
Germany did not advance to Paris, instead attacking east of the capital; they were met by the French army there and defeated at the Battle of the Marne

13. The Reality
The Germans were forced to retreat at the Aisne River, where they dug in, leading to four years of trench warfare

14. Germany in Two-Front War and the Schlieffen-Plan I THE GREAT WAR
0XfT60rvsA&list=PLB2vhKMBjSxMK8 YelHj6VS6w3KxuKsMvT&index=5&t= 0s