The Significance of British and French Resistance in Challenging the Schlieffen Plan
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How important was British and French resistance as a factor in the failure of the Schlieffen Plan?
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British and French resistance played a crucial role in the failure of the Schlieffen Plan during World War I, but it was not the sole determining factor. The resistance put up by the British and French forces undoubtedly hindered the German advance, ultimately leading to the plan's downfall.
The Belgian resistance at the start of the war was instrumental in holding up the German advance. Their refusal to allow the German forces to pass through their territory disrupted the initial timeline of the Schlieffen Plan. This delay created a crucial opportunity for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to enter the war and support Belgium at the Battle of Mons. The BEF, consisting of 120,000 well-trained professional soldiers, effectively held off a much larger German force primarily made up of conscripts.
Furthermore, the French mobilization was swift and effective, halting the German advance at the Battle of the Marne. This forced the Germans to abandon their rapid offensive strategy and dig in, preventing them from achieving the rapid decisive victory that the Schlieffen Plan had envisioned. The subsequent "race to the sea" saw both sides engaged in a series of fierce battles such as the First Battle of Ypres, further stalling the German progress and preventing them from outflanking the Allies.
However, there were other significant factors that contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan. Firstly, the plan had already been altered by von Moltke, reducing troop commitments in the East to deal with the unexpected strength of Russian mobilization. The original plan created in 1905 was outdated and based on flawed assumptions, including the belief that Britain would not intervene and that Russia would take six weeks to mobilize its army. In reality, Russia mobilized much quicker in just 10 days, forcing von Moltke to divert troops to the Eastern Front and stretch German supply lines.
Additionally, von Moltke's decision to change the route of the attack to avoid the Netherlands and underestimate Belgian resistance further weakened the execution of the plan. New weapons and outdated tactics also played a role in hindering the German progress on the Western Front.
In conclusion, while British and French resistance were significant factors in the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, it was a combination of multiple factors that ultimately led to its downfall. The plan's own flaws, altered assumptions, unexpected Russian mobilization, and tactical errors made by German commanders all contributed to its failure during World War I.
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How important was British and French resistance as a factor in the failure of the Schlieffen Plan? Explain your answer.
YES – Belgian resistance at the start of the war held up the German advance; BEF entered the war to protect Belgium who held up the Germans at the Battle of Mons; 120,000 trained, professional soldiers helped hold off a much larger German force of mainly conscripts; French mobilisation effective – halted German advance at the Battle of the Marne and forced the Germans to dig in; ‘race to the sea’ stopped Germany from outflanking Allies – First Battle of Ypres etc.
NO – More important – plan changed by von Moltke reducing troop commitment in the East; plan was outdated – first created in 1905; based on assumption of no British intervention and believed Russia would take 6 weeks to mobilise its army; von Moltke also changed the route of the attack avoiding Netherlands and not predicting Belgian resistance; Russia's mobilisation only took 10 days and forced von Moltke to divert troops to the Eastern Front; stretched German supply lines; new weapons and outdated tactics etc.