World War IID & SIG:World War I: The BelligerentsWorld War I: MilitarismThe Western Front: The PlansThe Western Front: Schlieffen PlanMoltke’s Modifications to the Schlieffen PlanProblems with the German PlanThe Western Front: Miracle of the MarneThe Western Front: ResultThe Eastern FrontThe Eastern Front: PrittwitzSlide 13Slide 14The Eastern Front: Hindenburg and LudendorffSlide 16The Eastern Front: TannenbergEastern Front: After TannenbergSlide 19Trench WarfareSlide 21Attempts to Break the Stalemate: GasAttempts to Break the Stalemate: Peripheral OperationsPeripheral OperationsPeripheral Operations: GallipoliSlide 26Attempts to Break the Stalemate: Frontal AttacksAttempts to Break the Stalemate: Frontal AssaultsAttempts to Break the Stalemate: Hutier TacticsInfiltration vs Frontal AttackAttempts to Break the Stalemate: TanksSlide 32Technological Advances from World War IWorld War I AirplanesWorld War I VehiclesWorld War I ZeppelinWorld War I FlamethrowerNextWorld War ILsn 18ID & SIG:•attempts to break the stalemate, central position, Hindenburg and Ludendorff, Marne, militarism, Schlieffen Plan, tanks, Tanneberg, technological advances of WWI, trench warfare, Triple Alliance, Triple EntendeWorld War I: The Belligerents•The Triple Alliance consisted of Germany, Austria, and Italy•It was counter-balanced by the Triple Entente of France, Russia, and Britain. •As a result, by 1907 Europe was divided into two armed and rather fearful camps.World War I: Militarism•One of the reasons WWI erupted so quickly was the advanced state of militarism–World War I was the first war in which the opponents went to war with detailed and precise plans that had been written years before the outbreak of hostilities•“Mobilization means war” (German ambassador to the Russians)•War Plans–Austria: Attack Russia, Italy, or the Balkans (Variants R, I, and B)–Russia: Attack Austria-Hungary (Plan A) or defend against Germany (Plan G)–Germany: Attack France before Russia could mobilize (Schlieffen Plan)–France: Attack Germany (Plan XVII)–Great Britain: Deploy BEFThe Western Front: The Plans•French Plan XVII disregarded the Belgian frontier (thought the Germans wouldn’t violate Belgian neutrality)•In reality, the German Schlieffen Plan had its main effort through BelgiumThe Western Front: Schlieffen Plan•The Schlieffen plan sent a powerful right wing through western Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern France in a gigantic wheeling movement•The idea was to destroy France before Russia could mount an effective offensive against the weak German forces in the east and thus avoid fighting a two-front warAlfred von Schlieffen (1833-1913), chief of the German general staffMoltke’s Modifications to the Schlieffen Plan •Helmuth von Moltke replaced Schlieffen as chief of the general staff in 1906 and modified Schlieffen’s original plan–Weakened the right wing and strengthened the left •Moved four and a half corps from the west to the east to protect East Prussia•Modified sweep of right wing so that Germans would not violate the Netherlands’ neutrality•Added a counterattack mission to the left wing–Violated Schlieffen’s dying words to “Keep the right wing strong”Problems with the German Plan •Became inflexible “war by timetable”–Required enormous logistical effort to move men and equipment from Aachen to around Paris in a little more than five weeks–Committed Germany to a two front war•Necessitated attacking before Russia or France could seize the initiative (even if Germany wasn’t ready)The Western Front: Miracle of the Marne•The Schlieffen Plan worked initially but stalled due to logistical demands–“Amateurs study strategy, professionals study logistics.” •The French commander General Joseph Joffre finally realized the German intentions and abandoned his hope of defending along the frontiers and instead attempted to establish a second defensive line deeper in France•British and French forces combined to halt the Germans in the battle of the Marne in September 1914The Western Front: ResultThe Eastern FrontTannenberg, August 1914The Eastern Front: Prittwitz•The goal of the German strategy in the east was to avoid defeat and to maintain as stable a front as possible–Principle of war?•General Max von Prittwitz commanded the Eighth Army and had the mission of delaying the Russian advanceThe Eastern Front: Prittwitz•On August 20, Prittwitz attacked at Gumbinnen and the Russians got an early advantage•Prittwitz’s initial response was to withdraw more than 125 miles across the Vistula River which would have abandoned East Prussia to the RussiansThe Eastern Front: Prittwitz•Prittwitz’s staff eventually convinced him to use his superior lateral communications to concentrate the bulk of his forces against the slowly advancing Russian Second Army to the south and leave only a small force behind in the north to block the Russian First Army•These decisions set up the battle of TannenbergCentral PositionThe Eastern Front: Hindenburg and Ludendorff•Moltke however was disturbed by Prittwitz’s initial plan to abandon East Prussia and replaced him with the more aggressive command team of Hindenburg and LudendorffHindenburg (left) and LudendorffThe Eastern Front: Hindenburg and Ludendorff•Paul Hindenburg was a 66 year old retired general who Moltke recalled to active duty after he became dissatisfied with Prittwitz•Hindenburg was assigned as commander of the Eighth Army on the Eastern Front•Major General Erich Ludendorff had done well at the battle of Liege in August 1914 and was appointed Hindenburg’s chief of staffThe Eastern Front: Tannenberg•Hindenburg reversed Prittwitz’s retreat and implemented the plan Prittwitz’s staff was already working on•Ludendorff rushed four corps to the south and the Germans attacked on August 26•In a double envelopment, the Germans encircled the Russians and destroyed two corpsSample double envelopmentEastern Front: After Tannenberg•Tannenberg was an operational rather than a strategic victory•After the battle, Hindenburg turned the Eighth Army north to try to repeat his success against the Russian First Army•However the Russians recognized the danger and pulled back across the Russian border•On September 25, the Russians counterattacked and drove the Germans back to the frontier of East PrussiaWorld War I•The Schlieffen Plan had failed to defeat the French