World War 1
...is no way forward for either side. There were many reasons why stalemate occurred on the Western Front during World War One. A major reason was the failure of the German Schlieffen Plan, a plan that aimed for a swift defeat of France by the Germans. Incompetence by the Generals and their poor leadership also contributed to a stalemate situation. Technology was also a factor because it advantaged the defensive side so much, the critical offensive strikes could be easily defended.
Failures to meet the objectives of the Schlieffen Plan by the Germans was the leading reason for the stalemate along the Western Front. The Schlieffen plan failed because of changes and poor execution of the plan by German Chief of Staff von Moltke. The Plan failed on many levels. The Schlieffen Plan did not take into account exhaustion experienced by infantry through long flanking movements. The infantry advanced in such extraordinary time it out ran its supply lines and communications network.
Liddell Hart, one of Britain's leading military historians, believed that the failing of the Schlieffen Plan was due to the lack of foresight when it came to transport. Hart compares the French transport arrangements to that of the Germans, "While his troops would have to march on their own feet
French would be able to switch troops by rail." [1] This shows how under prepared the German and Schlieffen Plan was.
Another failure was the Germans not adequately protecting the Eastern Front from Russian attack and then having to move men from the Schlieffen Plan to defend the attack. The result of this was a weakened attack from the right flank. As seen in Source A, the Germans now did not have the manpower to encircle Paris and take it over. Furthermore, French General Joffre counter-attacked the German line on the River Marne and German troops retreated back to the River Aisne. It was here...
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