SCHLIEFFEN PLAN

Strategic plan created by General Alfred von Schlieffen in 1907 to counter a joint attack on Germany from two fronts (east and west) France and Russia

Schlieffen calculated that Russia would take 6 weeks to organize and mobilize its troops. Thus, Frasnce would be attacked first and defeated quickly with in 6 weeks (before Britain mobilized).

NOTE: France & Germany were ready to fight because of HUGE rivalry stemming from 1870 Franco-Prussian war

Plan: 1) Use _____% of Germany’s troops to attack France. The rest of German army would be sent to defensive positions on Eastern Front.

2) Attack on France from north and invade through neutral Belgium, cut off ports to Britain and encircle Paris from north

3) Once France was captured, Germany would move all troops to Eastern Front to battle _______________________

OUTCOME

The Schlieffen Plan did not succeed. The German hopes of a swift and decisive victory were frustrated because of several reasons: Belgium army fought back and slowed German advance

Russia mobilized quickly and invaded Germany

France moved north and cut off German advance

Britain guaranteed Belgium’s neutrality and declared war on Germany; British troops quickly reached France and Belgium.

However, the German Army had not been beaten and its successful retreat and the building of Trenches between the North Sea to the Swiss Frontier ended all hope of a short war.

Recap of the plan

In short, it was the German plan to avoid a two-front war by concentrating troops in the West and quickly defeating the French and then, if necessary, rushing those troops by rail to the East to face the Russians before they had time to mobilize fully. The

, Russia would need six weeks to fully mobilize. In that time, Schlieffen believed he could win a two-front war by first quickly defeating France in the west – the plan scheduled 39 days for the fall of Paris and 42 for the capitulation of France – before the "Russian Steamroller" would be able to mobilize and descend upon East Prussia.[1] The plan depended on Germany's ability to quickly mobilize troops and invade France before the French could fully mobilize their troops and defend their territory, and then to turn on the Russians before they were ready.

On August 3, 1914, the German Army marched into Belgium on its way to Paris. While this day is important when studying the Great War, the planning was completed years before in 1905 by a man named Alfred von Schlieffen.

This plan called for a sweep through neutral Belgium to outflank the resistance.

•By September 2, 1914, the Germans had pushed to within 26 miles of Paris.

•At the Battle of the Marne, the French managed to halt the German advance.

•The French actually shuttled soldiers to the front in taxis!

Beaumont Hamel MemorialBeaumont Hamel

•When the Germans’ advance was finally stopped they moved to a more defensive position

•This led to a race for the sea that saw each country try to outflank each other until they their trenches extended all the way to the North Sea from Switzerland

The Somme Memorial

The Western Front 1914

The Western Front: 1916

Compare and Contrast: What inference about the progress of the war might we make from the two maps?

Stalemate!

Trench warfare had resulted in a “tie”Neither side could gain territory, as

defensive tactics were more effective than offensive

The war became one of “attrition”. Each side seemed to be only trying to kill enemy soldiers, not gain ground, in the hope of killing more than could be effectively replaced in the long run.

Trench Warfare

After the German s had been halted by the French at the Marne River, they dug defensive fortifications (on high ground overlooking their enemies) along a long “front” from Belgium to Switzerland

The French and British, and later Canadians and others, also “dug in” and the armies faced each other in what is now known as trench warfare

Consequences!

The horrors of the battlefield were bad enough and had to endure terrible hardships just to live day to day.

German Trenches!

… and Canadian

The System

The Trenches!

Life in the Trenches

•Death was a constant companion to those men in the line•Even in areas where there was no action there was constant shellfire and disease to worry about•Rats infested the trenches in the millions – these rats gorged themselves on the human dead

•The Trench Cycle was the time period men would spend in the line•This amount of time would vary from weeks to months•Daily life was spent with inspections, chores, supplies and waiting, endless waiting

•Lice was a never ending problem in the trenches •Trench foot was also a problem •Trench foot was a fungal infection of the feet that could cause gangrene and possibly amputation

Trench foot!

No Man's Land

•No Man’s Land is the area between the opposing trenches

•This area was off limits during the day as snipers watched the area to take a shot at anyone who might show themselves

•After a battle many bodies would be left in No Man’s Land

The Smell!

•Imagine living a life where you are surrounded by rotting corpses, overflowing latrines and men who haven’t bathed in months!•Trenches also smelled of chemicals used to fight off disease•Poison gas, cigarettes, cooking food, stagnant mud were also present

Going Over the Top

What You Would Face!

Artillery !

Treating Injured in Support Trench

Water and Mud!

Over the top simulation…..

http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/games/overtop/index_e.shtml

CHC2D read 62-63 answer question fig3-12