Before the first world war, Count Alfred von Schlieffen / Schlieffen Plan considered all of the different possibilities of war for Germany. He needed to work to understand how the country could manage an attack on two different fronts. Without a proper strategy, the country would easily crumble and fall. The Schlieffen plan called for information and analysis for a two-front war that featured the French coming in from the West and the Russians coming in from the East.
The Basics of the Schlieffen Plan
The basics of the plan were actually quite simple, attempting to lean on the strength of the German army to overwhelm opponents and enemies. The Schlieffen plan was to load many of the troops that Germany had on the western front first. They would quickly fight and crush the French forces that were sent to Germany. They would then head to the east side to fight the Russians when they attempted to attack. The idea is that it would fight France before the Russians had the time to prepare for battle. The full force of the German army would then be on the Eastern side before the Russian troops could prepare, setting them up for a win similar to the one they expected with France.
Schlieffen Plan: World War One
The Schlieffen plan was an important plan for Germany, as it would soon come to fruition. The Germans found themselves in the midst of World War 1 and were suddenly going to be under attack from the French on the west and the Russians on the East. Originally thought up by von Schlieffen, the plan was modified and carried out by Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. Unfortunately, the modifications that von Moltke made to the original plan weakened the strategy.
The strategy actually worked during the first month of World War 1, as the Germans managed to hold off the initial push of the French. Unfortunately, a mixture of events brought the plan to its knees. The French launched a counter attack that came from a different and unexpected location. The Russians caught wind and upped the speed of their plans, effectively getting not the country before the Germans had the time to move their troops over to meet them. The plan, while initially strong, was considered a failure.
Schlieffen plan has been thoroughly studied and continues to be studied by war generals and history aficionados alike. Taking the time to look at this particular plan can help all to understand both the positives and negatives of the plan. You can easily see the benefits but can see the loopholes, learning how to create better and more tightly constructed strategies for both war and life in general. The Schlieffen plan was not the only reason that the Germans lost the war, it is considered one of the key components.