War Plans

• Wars of Unification

  Bigger armies required much more sophisticated planning.

  Effective planning of rail networks was crucial for success.

  Austrian reserves in 1866 got lost and missed the Battle of Sadowa.

  The French left much of their ammunition and many guns behind before the Battle of Sedan.

  The Prussian General Staff and war planning were key to their success (though not the whole story).

  Lesson: Rapid encircling movements are possible with rapid mobilization and well-coordinated railways. 
• American Civil War

  Anaconda Plan (Winfield Scott):

  Squeeze the South economically. Implement a naval blockade. Control the Mississippi River.

  Some favoured a quick military victory by attacking Richmond.

  Debate over the actual existence of the Anaconda Plan, some say it was a later fabrication.

  Naval blockade weakened the South.

  Sherman's March to the Sea devastated Southern morale and infrastructure. $ 100 mil damage

  Outcome: The strategy, whether exactly the original plan or not, successfully brought the South to its knees.
• WW1

  All the major powers prepared plans for rapid mobilisation and a decisive initial attack – due to speed of W of U

  Germany was particularly worried about being isolated centrally in Europe = The Schlieffen Plan
• Schlieffen Plan

  Schlieffen Plan: Very detailed, lacked flexibility, strict timetable.

  Strategy: Right hook through Belgium to force French surrender, then focus on Russia.

  2 Assumptions: French would be disorganized. Russia would be slow to mobilize (at least 8 weeks).

  Britain's Involvement: Due to Belgium’s guaranteed neutrality.

  Moltke's Changes: Weakened the important right flank.

  3 Challenges: Inexperienced recruits slowed by Belgian and British actions. Germans had to march 450 miles (20 miles/day)
• WW1 P3

  French plan 17 failed – consisted of mass frontal attack through Alsace-Lorraine, by FR troops wearing red caps and trousers, easily shot by smaller GR forces with over 300,000 FR casualties ​

  Russian plan 19 failed – defeated by GR counterattacks at the Battles of Tannenberg and the Masurian Lakes, resulting in 78,000 RU casualties