The Schlieffen Plan and its failure

• What was the Schlieffen Plan?


  A German military plan that would avoid Germany fighting a war on two fronts
• Who created the initial Schlieffen plan?

  German General Count Alfred von Schlieffen
• What did Germany believe that would help their plan?

  • Russia would be slow in mobilising their forces
  • Britain would not honour their 75-year treaty with Belgium
• What was the Original Plan?

  • To trick the French into thinking the battle will start on the French-German Border by sending a few troops their
  • Send the bulk of the army through the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg; to outflank and surround the French
  • This would be done in 40 days
• Who made changes to the plan and when?

  General von Motke - 1906
• What changes were made to the plan?

  Netherlands was removed from the German's march
• When did Germany launch this plan?


  August 1914
• What problems led to the plan's failure?

  • British sent troops in the form of their British Expeditionary Force (BEF - well trained troops) - this delayed Germany by 4 days
  • Russia mobilised their forces within 10 days - Germany had to send 100,000 troops to the eastern front
  • Due to the Hot conditions, supplies were running out
• What was the Battle of Marne?

  • 6th - 10th September 1914, River Marne
  • As a result of the Germans being short on supplies and troops, they decided not to advance to Paris
  • British and French fought against Germany, two million soldiers fought in total - half a million died
  • Both sides began to build trenches in defense
• What was the Race to the Sea?

  Both sides racing to the English Channel, establishing the Western Front