15.2.4

Failure of the Schlieffen Plan

Test yourself

Failure of the Plan

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

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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.
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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.
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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.
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Battle of the Marne

  • Between 6 and 10 September 1914, fighting came to an end at the Battle of the Marne.
  • This battle stopped the German advance.
  • This battle hindered the German plan as it stopped them achieving their goal of quickly defeating the French.
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'Sir! We have lost the war'

  • The importance of the Schlieffen Plan succeeding was shown when the Chief of the German General Staff told the Kaiser:
    • ‘Sir! We have lost the war’.

Jump to other topics

1The Medieval World: 450-1450 AD

1.1Anglo-Saxon England

1.2The Contest for the English Throne

1.3Conquering the Holy Land, 10-96-1396 AD

1.4King John

1.5The Magna Carta & Parliament

1.6The Black Death

2Worldviews

3The Empire of Mali

4The Renaissance & Reformations, 1500-1598 AD

5The British Empire, 1583-1960 AD

6The Peasants' Revolt

7Religion in the Middle Ages

8Slavery, 1619-1833 AD

9The English Civil War, 1642-1660

10The Industrial Revolution, 1750-1840

11US Independence, 1775-1783

12The French Revolution, 1789-1815

13The British Empire, 1857–1930

14Suffrage

15World War 1, 1914-1918

16The Inter-War Years, 1919-1939

17World War 2, 1939-1945

18The Cold War, 1947-1962

19Civil Rights in the USA, 1954-1975

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