The Schlieffen Plan and its failure Flashcards
Who made the Schlieffen Plan?
German General Count Alfred Von Schlieffen
What was the plan’s purpose?
To avoid war on 2 fronts
What was the original plan?
To trick the French into believing the invasion was on the German border and then marching through Belgium and the Netherlands to then surround and outflank the French
How did the plan change?
It now involved fewer troops and not advancing through the Netherlands because it was very risky
What was the plan dependant on?
Russia mobilising very slowly
Britain not honouring their treaty with Belgium
Why did the plan fail?
- there was strong Belgian resistance at Liege which slowed the army down
- The British went to help Belgium with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF)
- German troops were exhausted from summer heat and the supply lines weren’t good enough
- The Russian army was ready much faster than thought so thousands of troops had to be sent to the east
When was the Battle of the Marne?
6-10 September 1914
What happened at the battle of the Marne?
British and French troops attacked the depleted German forces in the river Marne valley. Germans had to retreat to the river Aisne, where they began to dug trenches and stalemate was slowly established
Why was there a race to the sea?
Both sides were desperately trying to outflank each other to try and get an advantage and avoid stalemate
What happened at first on the eastern front?
Russians made quick advances but were quickly stopped by Hindenburg and Ludendorff.
AH attacked Russia but was humiliated and had to redraw - Russia took control of some of their territory
Was there stalemate on the eastern front?
No - it was much more mobile. The front stretched from Riga to the Black Sea
When did Germany actually invade Belgium?
4th August 1914
