Reasons Behind the Schlieffen Plan & its Failure

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Reasons Behind the Plan

The Germans were motivated to create the Schlieffen Plan because of the alliances which had developed in Europe.

Franco-Russian Alliance

The Schlieffen Plan was motivated by the alliance between Russia and France in 1890, which threatened Germany.
- War now could be staged on two fronts.

The Plan

Alfred von Schlieffen was the head of the German army.
To combat the danger, Alfred von Schlieffen developed a plan. Planning was completed in 1905.
He believed that the best way to stop the threat would be to attack France and defeat them in 6 weeks.
This attack would not start in Alsace-Lorraine, where France would expect, but through Belgium (a neutral country).
This plan relied on the fact that Russia would take a long time to mobilise and that France would be easily crushed.

Failure of the Plan

The plan did not work as the German government had hoped.

French inaction

France did not mobilise in July, meaning that Germany could not pretend to invade in defence.
3 August 1914: Germany invaded Belgium to start the plan.
4 August 1914: Great Britain stated its support for Belgian neutrality because of the Pact of London in 1839.

Britain declares war

Britain's support for Belgium meant it could declare war on Germany.
Germany had not expected Britain to enter the war – especially if France was defeated quickly.
4 August 1914: Britain declared war on Germany.

War on both fronts

In reality, Russia only took 10 days to mobilise.
Germany had to split its troops and send some to the Eastern Front.
23 August 1914: Germany first came into conflict with the Entente Powers.
The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) met the Germans at the Battle of Mons in Belgium.

Battle of the Marne

Between 6 and 10 September 1914, fighting culminated at the Battle of the Marne. Here the German advance stopped.
This battle hindered the German plan as it stopped them achieving their goal of quickly defeating the French.

'Sir! We have lost the war'

The importance of the Schlieffen Plan succeeding was shown when the German Army when Helmuth von Moltke (Chief of the German General Staff) told the Kaiser:
- ‘Sir! We have lost the war’.

1The Causes of the First World War

1.1The Alliance System

1.1.1The Threat of Germany & The Triple Alliance

1.1.2The Franco-Russian Alliance & the 'Entente'

1.1.3End of Topic Test - The Alliance System

1.2Crisis in Morocco and the Balkans

1.2.1The Crisis in Morocco

1.2.2The Crisis in the Balkans

1.2.3The Balkan Wars

1.2.4Impact on International Relations

1.2.5End of Topic Test - Morocco & the Balklans

1.3Anglo-German Rivalry

1.3.1Britain & Splendid Isolation

1.3.2Kaiser Wilhelm II's Foreign Policy

1.3.3European Rearmament

1.3.4End of Topic Test - Anglo-German Rivalry

1.4Outbreak of War

1.4.1Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand

1.4.2The July Crisis

1.4.3The Schlieffen Plan and Belgium

1.4.4Reasons for the Outbreak of Hostilities

1.4.5End of Topic Test - Outbreak of War

2The First World War: Stalemate

2.1The Schlieffen Plan

2.1.1Reasons Behind the Schlieffen Plan & its Failure

2.1.2Stalemate

2.1.3End of Topic Test - The Schlieffen Plan

2.2The Western Front

2.2.1Technology

2.2.2Military Tactics

2.2.3The War of Attrition (1915-1916)

2.2.4The War of Attrition (1917)

2.2.5End of Topic Test - The Western Front

2.3The Wider War

2.3.1The War at Sea

2.3.2The War in the Air

2.3.3Other Theatres

2.3.4End of Topic Test - Wider War

3Ending the War

3.1Changes in the Allied Forces

3.1.1The Bolshevik Revolution

3.1.2Reasons for the Entry of the USA

3.1.3The Impact of US Entry on the War

3.1.4End of Topic Test - Changes in the Allied Forces

3.2Military Developments in 1918

3.2.1Tactics & Technology

3.2.2Ludendorff & the German Spring Offensive

3.2.3The Allied Advance During The Hundred Days

3.3Germany Surrenders

3.3.1The Impact of the Naval Blockade

3.3.2Abdication of the Kaiser

3.3.3Armistice

3.3.4The Contribution of Haig and Foch

3.3.5End of Topic Test - Developments & Surrender

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