Download The failure of the Schlieffen Plan (Reasons for Stalemate)

Modern History – HSC Topic World War 1 | Page 1 of 8
The Reasons for Stalemate on the Western Front
 The Germans were halted at the Marne and pushed back to the Aisne River where on
15th Sept, trenches were dug, the war of movement ended and the stalemate and a war
of attrition commenced
 The Schlieffen Plan in 1906 was created as a response from thee Dual Entente
Agreement in 1894 with France and Russia meaning Germany was to face a two-front
war
 The aim was the capture of France within 6 weeks via neutral Belgium and Holland from
speed and surprise, then Afterwoods focusing on the Eastern front
 Later modifications from Schlieffen’s successor Moltke saw the original ‘bottleneck’ plan
reduced with more troops stationed at Lorraine
 The major reasons for its failure and the lead up to stalemate was:
o It relied too much on speed of movement
o Invasion of Belgium would violate the ‘Treaty of London’ and see involvement
from Britain
o Lines of Communication remained open
o Germany army was more focused on attacking and not defending
o Russian troops mobilised faster than Germans
o Germany had insufficient manpower to attack France
 Both sides were committed for a War of Attrition (i.e. Haig at Somme and Falkenhayn at
Verdun) and to inflict a high causality rate on the enemy until it surrenders
 After the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, Moltke was replaced by Falkenhayn who intended
to gain control of channel ports. This led to the Race to the Seas to extend their trench
systems. At the Battle of Ypres (Nov 1914) the deadlock was firmly established
 British Royal Navy had control of the English Channel and placed a Naval Blockade with
Norway which cut Germany with all World Trade that caused trade and supply problems
 Both forces failed to fight defensively and had little understanding of new firepower
technology that began to dominate the battlefield
 Commanders failed to control large numbers in the field
 French Plan 17 focused on a major offensive at Alsace-Lorraine which didn’t focus on
coordination with British forces and injured difficulty of terrain
Modern History – HSC Topic World War 1 | Page 2 of 8
The nature of trench warfare and life in the trenches dealing with experiences of Allied and
German soldiers
 Trenches first dug in Sep 1914 as a defensive tactic by the Germans to defend
themselves as they were retreating to the Aisne river
 The Trench System:
 Three lines of Trenches set up in a zigzag pattern to contain explosions and provide
support if enemies enter the trench:
o Front (Main fighting)
o Support (resting troops)
o Reserve
o Each line was linked with communication trenches to allow movement of men
and supplies
 Each trench featured:
o Sandbags & Parapets (protection of soldiers when firing)
o Barbed Wire (Stopped enemy advances but also prevented any advance)
o Fire Step (allowed soldiers to peer over sandbags)
o Duckboards (wooden planking over wet ground, prevent trenchfoot)
o Dugouts (used for resting)
o No Man’s Line (space between enemy trenches)
o In reality, German trenches were far better built then British and French bunkers
 Life in the Trenches:
o Weather (always cold and wet)
o Lack of hygiene (spread of disease i.e. diarrhoea, vomiting, rats, fleas)
o Most troops caught Trenchfoot and Lice
o Shell Shock (lack of concentration, headaches etc.)
o No medical supplies, only for emergency need
o Food – food parcels, rationing (Bully beef, biscuits and jam, bread were the
common British meal)
o Typical Day/Night: Stand to, Stand down, trench maintenance, stand to, dinner,
night (most active time)
 German trenches were often better built and maintained then the French; German troops
were deeper providing more protection and had extra features inc. underground rooms
and electricity. German trenches played a major role in the Somme as its structure
reviled why the British/French failed to cross the line
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Overview of strategies and tactics to break the stalemate including key battles: Verdun,
the Somme, Passchendaele (1)
 Traditional tactics were largely used by the allies to break the stalemate:
o Artillery Bombardment – aimed to wipe out anyone in enemy trenches by using
high explosive, gas or shrapnel shells continuously
o Over the Top – troops would advance into ‘no man’s land’ where they were prone
to enemy machine gun and artillery fire. Resulted in high loses (i.e. Somme)
o Weapons – Light artillery, bayonets, knives, horses
 During the duration of the war, new strategies and tactics through technology were used:
o Machine Gun (German) – stopped enemy infantry but was a defensive weapon
o Gas (German) – early use was seen as a breakthrough weapon (1915) but
leaked information saw British using gas masks making gas ineffective. Also
weather conditions was an important factor
o Tank (British) – early tanks (Somme) were slow and reliable but later
improvements saw the tank as a highly reliable weapon (Late 1918). Germans
had very few unreliable tanks
o Aircraft (Both) – First used for observation but later used for transport and
distributing propaganda
o Wave System – Spreading attack along the location, but poor planning led to
high casualties
o Trench Mortars – A tube used to fire a projectile at a steep angle. Highly effective
as it required no advancement as well as cleared enemy troops ahead, highly
accurate
o Creeping barrage – slow advancement of groups of troops in timed intervals
o Attrition Warfare – Wear down the enemy with high causalities
o Flamethrowers (German) – Limited range, high fuel usage and bad aim
o Storm-Troopers (German) – Special troops to break through enemy positions
with grenades, mortars and flame throwers
o Submarine (German) – U-boat Warfare used for surprise attacks
Modern History – HSC Topic World War 1 | Page 4 of 8
Overview of strategies and tactics to break the stalemate including key battles: Verdun,
the Somme, Passchendaele (2)
 Battle of Verdun (Feb-July 1916) – German Offensive
o Aim – Verdun was a symbol of French honour that French troops would do
everything to protect it. It also allowed access for an attack on Paris
o Germans were ready to ‘bleed the French white’ buy using Attrition
o During the battle, Germans fired 100 000 shells/hour that destroyed the front line
o Almost the whole of the French army fought at Verdun
o Despite massive losses, General Petain refused to withdraw troops
o French were able to hold onto Verdun
o Both sides suffered massive loses because of Attrition German 330 000. French
350 000. French fighting spirit was broken and close to mutiny
o Falkenhayn was replaced by Hindenburg and Lundendorff
o Joffree (French Chief of French General Staff) was sacked
 Battle of Somme (July-Nov 1916) – British Offensive
o Aim – Haig (British) wanted to breakdown German lines and end the stalemate
o Germans had knowledge of attack beforehand and made preparations such as
occupying higher ground and reinforcing underground concrete shelters
o Most British troops were ‘Kitchener’s Army’ (volunteers) who lacked training
o Haig’s Plan – Bombardment of 500 000 shells on enemy trenches then send
closely coordinated infantry and cavalry. Use of attrition and over-the-top
o Outcome – Worse loss of life in the history of the British Army – 420 000 dead
o Haig argued that the Somme was successful because its aims were achieved but
in reality it was disaster for both sides
o Allies gained 10.5km but had 3000 causalities a day
o Many officers also failed to give out commands while others stayed well behind
the front line leading to a superficial understanding on conditions leading to
reckless gambles with men’s lives
 Battle of Passchendaele (Jul-Nov 1917) – British Offensive
o Aim - To relieve the French, Capture two German occupied ports in Belgium and
drive Germans out of Belgium
o Haig failed to notice the weather, the battlefield and the German defenders
o Massive craters from bombardment turned the ground into a swamp full of mud
o Allies managed to capture Passchendale but with heavy loses – 300 000
o Failed to capture Belgium ports but made some ground – 8km
 Peter Simpkins: The Somme offensive was a necessary if painful stage in the process of
weakening a skilful, courageous and highly professional army
Changing Attitudes of Allied and German soldiers to the war over time
 Early Stages of War:
o Great enthusiasm and support, believed war would be over by Christmas 1914
o Large recruitment numbers from both sides. Fought for Patriotism, Love of
Empire, Respect of King, Kaiser, Honour, Defence, Employment
o Unofficial Christmas Truce saw the exchanging of comradeship
o Positive war songs and news reports (i.e. The Solider by Rupert Brooke)
 Later Stages of War:
o By 1916, war weariness began to surface
o Negative figures of wounded and killed changed views on war
o Somme was turning point in war.
o Horrors of Trench Warfare, continually stalemate and huge causalities
o Germany was faced with food shortages by 1916 in some areas
o 1918: Germany faced with revolution, work strikes and growing Soviet support
o Anti-War poems emerged (i.e. Does it Matter? By Siegfried Sassoon)
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Total War and its Social and Economic impact on Civilians
 Total War: The complete dedication of a nation’s resources and people to the war effort
 Rations and War Products:
o Britain: Due to increased prices of food and lack of food on the home front,
rations were introduced in December 1916 and made compulsory in April 1918
o Rations were mostly tined food and had poor quality
o With Rations, other measures such as meatless days were introduced
o Large increase in agricultural and crop industry, planting your own food
o Germany: Naval blockage cased major problems for food and world trade
o August 1914, Walter Rathenau set up the Raw War Materials Department (KRA)
to determine war production. Key raw materials were declared emergency
materials and were placed under KRA control. Shortages were met by using the
resources of occupied countries or by producing substitute or ersatz goods.
o War Food Office established (1916). Introduced meatless days and rationing and
Ersatz goods were introduced
o The failure of potato crops in Winter 1916 saw the introduction of Turnips (the
hated alternative)
 Industry and Financing the War:
o Britain: Not the industry giant like it was before. “Business as usual”
o To finance the war the govt. issued war savings certificates and sold war bonds
o Lloyd George set up the Ministry of Munitions (June 1915). This meant no
strikes, no leaves, set wages and set working hours.
o Govt. also increased tax (i.e. Income tax rose 150% in 3 years)
o Lloyd George saw that reducing industry disputes would mean more production.
o Introduced dilution and the introduction of women in the workforce which gave
them more respect and dignity and changes in social life (more ‘free’)
o Britain outsourced production of explosions and munitions to US
o Germany: Minister of Finance Helferrich borrowed large amounts by issuing
treasury notes to investors through the Imperial Loan Fund
o Germany by 1918 had a enormous national debt
o Large worker disputes led to large numbers of strikes by 1918. Production halted
 Government Control:
o Britain: DORA (Defence of the Realm Act) passed in Aug. 1915 suspended civil
rights and put Britain under virtual military law or ‘war socialism’. DORA also
allowed police to imprison citizens without question
 Women were introduced in the general work force to fill in vacant positions
 M. McAndrew, D. Thomas, R. Cummins: the Great War was the first total war in which all
aspects of countries economic, social and political systems became devoted to the
waging of the war effort
Modern History – HSC Topic World War 1 | Page 6 of 8
Recruitment, Conscription, Censorship and Propaganda in Britain and Germany
 Recruitment/Conscription:
o Britain recruitment began with a volunteer army ‘Kitchener’s Army’ ‘PALS’
o By Aug 1915, young single men were forced to register
o Military Service bill in Jan 1916 introduced conscription
o Oct 1917, massive drops in recruitment
o Germans traditionally joined as conscription was a national tradition but
shortages remained a growing problem
 Censorship:
o British DORA censored all information “Loose lips sink Ships”
o Very little reporting of front line. Leaked information on casualties sparked uproar
o Germany also censored all information and avoided all negative topics about war
 Propaganda:
o British propaganda created stereotypes, used simple slogans and used atrocities
stories. “Land fit for heroes”. Was very effective at the general population
o German propaganda was too defensive and relied too heavily on patriotism
The variety of attitudes to the war and how they changed over time in Britain and Germany
 Early Stages of War: War fever, ‘August Madness’, no real understanding of war, sense
of adventure, patriotism and defending one’s country
 By 1915 recruitment (in Britain) began to drop over continuing stalemate and reality of
trench warfare
 Somme (1916) was the turning point as war weariness began to appear
 By 1917 German mutinies & strikes began to increase, massive starvation on home front
 By 1918 the length of the war, Causalities, food shortages, rising taxes, rationing and
DORA control saw strikes against the war
The impact of the war on women’s lives and experiences in Britain
 Access to new job opportunities at home or for the war effort
 More prominent status in society and more freedom and independence
 Women still were unpaid then men and still had to face with prejudices by men
 The war impact very differently on women depending on age and class
 By 1918, pressure on women to return to housework
 1918 – women over 30 eligible to vote
 It can be argued that the political gain made by women was more a result of a change of
government and public opinion than as a reward for war work
 Marwick. A: the shortage of men brought a sudden and irreversible advance in the
economic and social power of a category of women employees
Impacts of the entry of the USA and of the Russian Withdrawal
 1914 – Wilson proclaims America ‘neutral’
 US aided the allies through economic support and supplies
 1915 – Sinking of the Lustintia from unrestricted submarine warfare resulted in 100 US
deaths and introduced US involvement with allies
 After German’s attempt to convince Mexico to invade the US, US enter war on April 1917
 March 1917 – Revolution broke out in Russia and the Tsar abdicated
 Russia withdraw from the war from revolution, economic problems and civil war
 This meant troops serving on the Eastern front were transferred to the west
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Ludendorff’s Spring Offensive and the allied response
 In March 1918, General Lundendorff introduced his last major defensive of the war
 1st Offensive – Germans use of Storm-Troopers, surprise and gas allowed a 65km
advancement. End of Stalemate and reintroduced war of movement
nd
 2 Offensive – Germans halt at the Marine, arrival of US troops
rd
 3 Offensive – Germans advanced 18km in 1 day, no resistance, sparked panic in Paris
th
 4 Offensive – German suffered supply shortages
th
 5 Offensive – Germans halted by French troops in Champagne
 Allied Response for Spring Offensive:
th
 18 July- Foch’s Counter-Attack: German’s in full-retreat, ‘Black Day’ of German Army
th
(8 Aug.), German army exhausted and lost all morale to fight
 Liddell Hart: military actions of allied offensive broke Ludendorff’s morale
Events Leading to the Armistice 1918
 Lundendorff offensive failed as Germany pushed back behind Hindenburg line and home
front could not maintain war effort
th
 29 September – Lundendorff suggests a ceasefire and recommend a democratic from
of government, clear war was lost
 By Late 1918, Germany was gripped with strikes and revolution
th
 5 October – Hindenburg Line breached
th
 11 November – Armistice signed
Reasons for the Allied Victory and German Collapse
 Reasons for allied victory:
o Failure of the Schlieffen Plan
o The superiority of allied economic and military resources
o The Allied blockade
o Strains on the German home front
o The entry of the USA
o German morale and exhaustion
 Hagan: German govt unsuccessful in convincing people of the worthwhile cause
Modern History – HSC Topic World War 1 | Page 8 of 8
The roles and different goals of Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Wilson in Creating the
Treaty of Versailles
 Wilson’s 14 Points – Jan 1918:
o There should be no secret treaties
o There should be freedom of the seas in peacetime or wartime
o There should be free trade between countries
o There would be international disarmament
o Colonies should have a saw in their own future
o German troops should leave Russia
o There should be independence for Belgium
o France should regain Alsace Lorrain
o The frontier between Austria and Italy to be adjusted
o There should be self-determination for the peoples of eastern Europe
o Serbia should have access to the sea
o There should be self determination for the peoples of the Turkish empire
o Poland should become an independent state with access to the sea
o A league of nations should be established
 Wilson’s 14 Points were not accepted by Britain and France and Germany rejected them
because of the hope of the Lundendorff Offensive
 Paris Peace Conference 1919
 The BIG Three (Clemenceau, Lloyd George and Woodrow Wilson)
 Germany and Russia Could NOT Attend or HAVE A SAY
 Clemenceau:
o Rejected 14 points
o Wanted to severely German’s economy and military
o Restoration of Alsace-Lorraine to French
o Heavy Reparations
o Creation of ‘buffer state’ towards west of Rhur
 Lloyd George:
o Supported Wilson’s idealism
o Didn’t want German to be treated too harshly for it may become resentful but the
British wanted Germany punished
o Wanted to soften French demands
o Wanted creation of Danzig, the ‘free city’
 Wilson:
o Little understanding of European politics
o ‘Theological idealist’
o Objected Clemenceau’s terms
o Believed peace can be achieve through his 14 points
o Believed Germany should pay reparations
o Wanted establishment of League of Nations