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The Schlieffen Plan
Topic Started: Nov 4 2014, 03:07 AM (22 Views)
Hobilar
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War Correspondent
The plan, conceived by von Moltke, and subsequently developed by Albrecht, Graf von Schlieffen when he succeeded Moltke as Chief of the German General Staff, laid down a strategy to fight on two fronts and yet still finish the war quickly. One Army of four Corps was left in East Prussia to contain any initial Russian advance and to co-operate with the Austrians, who were to attack through Poland. Austria was to withdraw some troops from her front with Serbia to develop a strike at Russia through Galicia. Meanwhile the main German force was to attack France, striking through Belgium, move quickly into the department of Champaigne, smash the French in one great battle, isolate Paris, then roll the remains of the French Army up to the Swiss border. Behind this massive advance by first-rate Active Army Corps through Belgium, reserve formations were to rush to the Channel ports to prevent the British uniting with the French.

However, the gallant resistance of the Belgians and outnumbered French slowed down the German advance, and an unexpectedly strong Russian advances into East Prussia necessitated two German Army Corps being detached from the West to assist inb the East. The depleted German force fighting the Belgians and the Franco-British Allies thus no longer had the necessary impetus to achieve its original objectives and, between the 6 and 10 September, 1914, the Franco-British Allies fought them to a standstill at the Battle of the Marne. Nonetheless the defeated Germans were not routed, and fell back in good order to positions north of the Aisne which they fortified and held . It was in this sector of the Western Front that trench warfare began.
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