Europe Goes to War. Germany’s Strategic Dilemma Two front war – France in the West, Russia in the East Otto von Bismarck’s foreign policy sought to avoid.

Europe Goes to War

Germany’s Strategic Dilemma

• Two front war– France in the West,

Russia in the East

• Otto von Bismarck’s foreign policy sought to avoid this by maintaining good relations with Imperial Russia and trying to keep France isolated

France’s Strategic Dilemma

• Population in 1900– France had a stagnant population of 40 Million– Germany had a population of 50 Million and

growing– Germany would be able to deploy an

overwhelming number of reserves in a future war

War By Time Table• Both France and Germany

drafted large percentages of the annual class of 21 year olds.

• They would serve two to three years in the regular army and then be assigned to a reserve regiment.

• In time of war, reservists would receive telegrams ordering them to report to there regimental assembly area Where they would receive uniforms and equipment.

• When assembled, the regiment moved to its war station.

War By Time Table

• The entire civilian railway network would be taken over to facilitate the movement of the army

• The general staff of each army made detailed plans for the movement of trains that were updated annually

Mobilization: Munich

Helmuth von Moltke (the Elder)• In case of war on two

fronts – defend in the West, attack in the East

• Taking advantage of interior lines of communication, Moltke wanted to use the heavily fortified Western frontier to hold off the superior French army while attacking the weaker Russian army

Kaiser Wilhelm II

• The new Kaiser fires Bismarck and German foreign policy becomes more aggressive

• Russia begins to move closer to the West and France

The Schlieffen Plan• Attack in the West,

defend in the East• Hold off weaker

opponent with small force while eliminating stronger opponent

• Double envelopment– “Massive Cannae”

• Only problem - the German Army wasn’t big enough

The Battle of Cannae

Joseph Joffre & Plan XVII

• The French developed a series of defensive Plans in the case of war with Germany (Plans XIV – XVI)

• Plan XVII concentrated the French Army in a central position with the ability to defend or attack

Schlieffen Plan v. Plan XVII

Schlieffen Plan Altered

• Helmut Moltke (the Younger) altered Schlieffen’s plan

• He weakened the right wing to strengthen German defenses on the left

August, 1914