organisation, command & control (GWU)

• What did the Prussians do?

  They brought in the most far-reaching reforms with their creation of the Prussian general staff, which developed both war plans and army doctrine
• Moltke was the first Prussian general to do what?

  To place the control of officers in the field under the command of the general staff
• What title did Moltke have and what did this do for the Prussian army?


  He was chief of general staff from 1857-1888, brought a new sense of professionalism to the Prussian army
• Why was it advantageous that Moltke was promoted through merit?

  He had excelled at the War College (showing he had good military pedigree). They were always in touch with the army through a rotational system of responsibility- moving between general HQ to field HQ. Their role was kept separate from the Ministry of War and therefore they could focus solely on strategy and planning.
• What did the Prussians excel at?

  Prussians excelled at strategic planning and even practiced war games and made sure that they were kept updated with the latest technology (railways and the telegram)
• What was great about the members of the general staff?

  They had experience working in the railway sector which allowed the effective integration of the rail system and war planning
• Why did the more effective organisation of the Prussian army help them?

  The more effective organisation of the Prussian reserve forces was a key factor in aiding their victory over Austria at Sadowa in 1866. The Prussian reserve forces were trained and drilled relentlessly compared to their Austrian counterparts. Some of Austria’s reserve forces were also dismissed to their homes on permanent leave and had to be retrained when they were recalled- this meant that Prussia’s soldiers were of a higher quality
• What effect did the model of the Prussian forces have on their European counterparts?

  The decisiveness and speed of their victories led to other nations trying to emulate their model