1. Schlieffen Plan
CHC2DI

3. WHAT?
The Schieffen Plan was Germany's key war plan for invading France at the start of World War I
Involved marching through Belgium in order to knock France out of the war quickly

4. WHY? Germany believed war with Russia was extremely likely
If war broke out, Germany assumed France would also attack as she was both an ally of Russia and keen for revenge for her defeat in the Franco-Prussian war
If this happened, Germany would face a war on two fronts and wanted to avoid this

5. WHO?
Created by Alfred von Schlieffen (German strategist)

6. WHERE?
Germany planned to quickly mobilize troops and invade France before France could fully mobilize its troops to defend itself, and then turn on Russia before the Russians were ready
Planned to disregard of the neutrality of Luxembourg, Belgium and the Netherlands as the Germans swung around to invade France

7. WHEN? Schlieffen Plan devised by Schlieffen in 1905
Modified in 1906 when Schlieffen retired
Put into action on August 2, 1914
Russia mobilized in just 10 days and Germany was forced to withdraw troops from the Schlieffen Plan to defend her eastern border
Met by the French on September 5, 1914 at the Battle of the Marne and Germany could not advance further

8. RESULT
The German offensive failed and years of trench warfare resulted

9. WHY DID THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN FAIL?
Reason #1: Belgian resistance -delayed Germany for a month

10. WHY DID THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN FAIL?
Reason #2:
The effectiveness of the British Expeditionary Force
-mobilized quickly and delayed Germans long enough for French and British reinforcements to arrive

11. WHY DID THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN FAIL?
Reason #3:
The speed of Russian mobilization

12. WHY DID THE SCHLIEFFEN PLAN FAIL?
Reason #4: The French railway system -because of Germany being delayed, France was able to move troops quickly and mobilize at the border of Alsace-Lorraine to wait for the Germans to arrive