Battle Plans 1914 PDF

Battle Plans 1914 Essential Learning: GCO 2. Students will investigate the causes and consequences of WW1 and WW2. Curriculum Outcome: SCO 2.4 Students will evaluate how governments achieve collective security. The Schlieffen Plan Each country h...

Battle Plans 1914 Essential Learning: GCO 2. Students will investigate the causes and consequences of WW1 and WW2. Curriculum Outcome: SCO 2.4 Students will evaluate how governments achieve collective security. The Schlieffen Plan Each country had to have a strategy for success in this war. Germany’s overall battle plan was called the Schlieffen Plan. This plan was developed with the realization that Germany would be fighting a war on two fronts: one against France and one against Russia. The Schlieffen Plan called for a lightning attack against France, the western enemy, in the hopes of knocking it out of the war before Russia, the eastern enemy. Unfortunately, in order to strike with maximum effectively against France Germany had to move through Belgium which would bring Great Britain into the war. Unable to develop another strategy Germany moved into Belgium and drew Great Britain into the war. However, the military leaders had made some miscalculations. The opposing forces were too evenly matched and their movements were too ponderous to allow for quick decision-making. While the Germans had early successes against the Russians in the east, the Schlieffen Plan failed to work. A lightning strike was no longer possible which meant that a war of attrition would now have to be fought. Battle Plans 1914 ❖ In August, 1914, the Central Powers went to war with Allied Powers. ❖ Each country had developed a detailed battle plan for war. 1- Germany = Schlieffen Plan (Defeat France in 6 weeks by invading at high speed through Belgium. The invading armies could return to the Eastern Front and fight the Russians.) 2- France = Plan Seventeen (an all-out attack on the provinces of Alsace and Lorraine by specially trained soldiers who would attack with speed and incredible violence) 3- Britain = British Expeditionary Force (small but well trained force who would cross the English Channel to defend Belgium and France) 4- Austria = Plan R (send huge forces across the border into Russia) 5- Russia = Attack Austria ❖ Each of these battle plans had been worked out in detail. The key to success with these plans was speed. None of the plans, however, worked as they were designed.  Battle Plans 1914 War begins ❖ The Great War began exactly according to plan. A million grey uniformed German soldiers were packed into 6480 railway trains at stations all over Germany. The trains began rolling at three minute intervals toward Belgium. ❖ All parties involved believe the war will be over by Christmas. ❖ Three great French armies in bright blue tunics gathered on the German border to invade the province of Lorraine. ❖ British Expeditionary Force arrived in French ports like Calais with 125 000 khaki-clad men. ❖ It took only 3 weeks for the war plans of all countries to go wrong. Failure of the Schlieffen Plan ❖ The Belgian army fought bravely and slowed down the German advance for 10 days in the Battle at Liege. ❖ The BEF slowed down the 1st Army in the battle at Mons. ❖ The German army also faced unexpected problems. The Russians attacked in the east sooner than expected, leaving the Germans with fewer troops to attack France. The 1 st Army also had to walk 50 km a day and the soldiers were exhausted when they reached France. After Plan Seventeen failed, the French were marching back from Lorraine to cut the Germans off. ❖ The Germans failed to take Paris after the week long battle of the Marne. 2 million men battled along 240 km front around the river Marne. Gradually the French and BEF drove the Germans back. By the end of the week, the Germans had retreated back 60 km to the River Aisne where they dug in.