Session 3

• Schlieffen Plan


  German plan to defeat France within 6 weeks before Russia could mobilise
• Schlieffen Plan implementation

  1. German troops advanced through Belgium towards Paris

  2. Had to defeat France within 6 weeks before Russians could mobilise
• Belgian resistance

  • Delayed German advance
  • Bought French and British time to mobilise
• British response

  1. Britain dispatched British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to France

  2. BEF came into contact with Germans at Battle of Mons
• BEF at Battle of Mons

  • Outnumbered by Germans
  • Well-trained and well-equipped
  • Slowed German advance
• French response

  1. Launched all-out attack into Alsace-Lorraine

  2. Disaster, lost 200,000 troops in 12 days

  3. Regrouped forces to mount defence
• German forces marched through Belgium


  Now moving towards Paris
• Battle of the Marne

  1. Russians invaded Germany in the East

  2. Germany moved 100,000 troops from West to defend East

  3. French and BEF halted German advance along River Marne

  4. Pushed Germans back to River Aisne

  5. Stalemate as both sides dug trenches
• Race to the Sea

  1. Germany attempted to outflank British and French lines

  2. Britain and France moved troops to meet German manoeuvre

  3. Result was Western Front of trenches, barbed wire, and decimated land from Belgium to Franco-Swiss border
• Why did the Schlieffen plan fail?

  1. Belgium resistance bought time for Britain and France to mobilise 2. The BEF was well trained and well equipped and they mobilised quickly and slowed the German advance down 3. Russia mobilised far quicker than expected and Germany had to divert troops to the Eastern front 4. British and French troops halted the Germans during the Battle of Marne
• Why did the war become a stalemate?

  1. Germany were forced to change its plan and head straight to Paris following Russia's mobilisation 2. Britain and France pushed back German forces at the River Marne, resulting in a race to the sea 3. The weapons of each side were evenly matched. Instinct set in troops dug down to escape enemy fire
• Failure of Schlieffen plan


  • Led to move to sea and trenches
• Factors contributing to trench warfare


  • Weather
  • Mud
• Weapons used in World War I


  • Barbed wire
  • Machine guns
  • Artillery guns
• Tactics were a key factor in World War I
• Decisions of generals were important in World War I
• Balkans (South-east Europe)


  Region where Austria-Hungary and Russia were interested in gaining access to the sea
• Countries in the Balkans


  • Bosnia
  • Serbia
• Bosnia and Serbia were formally part of the Turkish empire and wanted independence
• Austria-Hungary took over Bosnia, angering Russia but Russia was not in a position to fight


  1908
• Germany supported Austria-Hungary in the Balkans
• Balkan wars, Serbia appears to be the strongest country


  1912-13
• Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Bosnia (Sarajevo)

  1914