PLANNING FOR VICTORY

Complete resources A, C and F

FROM FRIDAY

How did the European powers plan for the likelihood of war?

PLANNING FOR WAR: FOCUSING QUESTION

In the years before WWI, each European power made elaborate and detailed plans in case war broke out.

The plans detailed not only the battle plans but also the logistics of war.

Recruiting, organising and arming troops and then transporting them to the front to fight.

All of these were planned for, so that if war arrived the pieces could be put in place.

THE NECESSITY FOR PLANNING

Readying an army for war is called mobilisation and doing so rapidly was an essential part of a quick victory.

The decision to mobilise troops, either partially or fully, was seen as a virtual declaration of war.

The key to fast mobilisation was through rail, which could transport large armies, set by the example of Prussia's victories over Austria and France.

MOBILISATION

Rails largest problem, however, was timetabling. Once a plan was set in motion it was impossible to change without throwing the rest of the timetable into chaos.

Between 1900 and 1914 Germany increased the number of railway lines to its borders with France and Belgium.

France needed over 4000 trains to effectively mobilise, while Russia set up to defend its western borders.

MOBILISATION

The German plan was named after count von Schlieffen. The Germans saw war with France as inevitable since France would want revenge for 1871.

Due to France's alliance with Russia, Germany was now facing two fronts.

Schlieffen believed that the German army was strong enough to fight both sides.

THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

In order to fight both, schlieffen planned on first crushing France since Russia would take six weeks to mobilise its forces.

Due to Germanys rail network, he believed they could knock out the French in under six weeks and then move to the eastern front to face the Russians.

THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

The plan had two major flaws. First, there was no plan for a fight with only Russia. A war with Russia meant that Germany must first attack France.

Secondly, to quickly defeat France, the Germans had to avoid the heavily fortified border.

To get by this, the Germans planned to invade France through Belgium, Holland and Luxemburg.

THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

Belgium was a neutral country, and her right to stay neutral was guaranteed by a treaty signed by all the great powers, including Britain.

By invading in this way, Germany was risking Britain entering the war.

In 1911, von Moltke modified the plan, making it more moderate.

THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

In the new plan, less neutral territory was to be invaded and a change in how the troop deployment worked.

The plan was still inflexible and made any war that was to be fought a large one.

Further flaws developed in 1914, as Germany underestimated Russia's military and the Anglo-French alliance.

THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

France planned to attack with high-speed mobilisation of a large force to capture Alsace and Lorraine before crossing over the Rhine.

Britain planned to send an expeditionary force backed by a territorial army at home.

Russia planned to attack Austria-Hungary and Germany.

Austria-Hungary planned slightly different attacks towards Russia and Serbia

OTHER WAR PLANS

Militarism Continual improvements in rail networks allowed for

greater troop mobilisation The German, French and Russian plans called for large

armies. Alliances

Germany, in order to attack Russia, first had to attack France. By doing so, however, they risked Britain entering.

Nationalism Belief in the German armies ability to fight on two

fronts. The French continued to look at Alsace and Lorraine.

M.A.I.N POINTS

Complete:Resource A, b and C on pg. 43-44

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