World War One and Its Aftermath

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World War One and Its Aftermath

Period 1 - The Scheiffen Plan - how it created a Stalemate

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* The plan was developed by German chief of Staff General Von

Schlieffen in 1905

* It was developed due to the development of the Anglo-Russian

alliance, and the plan meant to eliminate the chance of Germany

fighting as War on two fronts.

* The German Schlieffen Plan looked to a quick War - 'Home before

the leaves fall'

The Aims of the Plan

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* Its objectives were to attack France first and take Paris within

6weeks, and then turn against Russia who were believed to be the

greater and more difficult enemy, yet the slowest to mobilise.

* The British weren't believed to participate in the war and

therefore weren't thought of when making the plan

* The plan depended on speed and surprise - using railways, which

involved an attack through the countries of Holland and Belgium.

* This attack through Belgium and Holland surprised the French, who

believed if and attack came from the Germans it would be fought at

Alsace on the frano-german border, not to the north of their

country

The French Plan - Plan 17 in 1913

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* The French had not believed the Schlieffen Plan had existed, and

therefore made their own plan that involved the majority of the

French troops deployed near the frano-german border, which left 2

thirds of the border with Belgium undefended.

* This left the opening for the Germans and the success of the

schlieffen plan.

2nd period - The Failure of The Schlieffen Plan

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