Schlieffen Plan

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The Schlieffen Plan was Imperial Germany’s pre–World War I military strategy for a rapid, decisive victory in the West—primarily by swiftly defeating France—before turning to fight Russia in the East.

All labels observed (8)

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Statements (51)

Predicate Object
instanceOf German military doctrine
military plan
alsoKnownAs Schlieffen-Moltke Plan
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
appliesToEvent Eastern Front of World War I
linked to: Eastern Front

Western Front of World War I
linked to: Western Front

World War I
author Alfred von Schlieffen
basedOnAssumption quick French defeat
rapid German mobilization
slow Russian mobilization
component envelopment of Paris from the north and west
holding action in Alsace-Lorraine
massive right-wing sweep through Belgium
conflict World War I
consequence British entry into World War I
countryOfOrigin German Empire
criticizedFor logistical overreach
rigidity of timetable
underestimating Belgian resistance
underestimating British response
dateOfFirstExecution August 1914
describedIn German General Staff documents
developer Alfred von Schlieffen
fieldOfWork military strategy
operational art
followedBy Race to the Sea
hasPart concentration of forces on the right wing
minimal forces on the left wing
use of railways for rapid troop movement
historicalPeriod pre–World War I era
implementedBy Helmuth von Moltke the Younger
inception 1905
influenced German operational thinking in early 20th century
influencedBy Franco-Russian Alliance
mainObjective avoid prolonged two-front war
rapid defeat of France
modifiedBy Helmuth von Moltke the Younger
namedAfter Alfred von Schlieffen
opponent France
Russian Empire
United Kingdom
relatedTo Treaty of London 1839
result emergence of trench warfare
failure to achieve rapid victory
stalemate on the Western Front
strategy knockout blow in the West before turning East
theater Belgium
France
Luxembourg
Western Europe
violated Belgian neutrality

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Referenced by (16)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

German General Staff developed Schlieffen Plan
Manstein Plan influencedBy Schlieffen Plan (conceptual heritage)
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
Imperial German Army usedDoctrine Schlieffen Plan
German Supreme Command implemented Schlieffen Plan variants
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
Great General Staff developedConcept Schlieffen Plan
Schlieffen Plan alsoKnownAs Schlieffen-Moltke Plan
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
Battle of the Frontiers strategicContext Schlieffen Plan
The Guns of August subject Schlieffen Plan
German Second Army participatedIn Schlieffen Plan offensive
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
Alfred von Schlieffen notableWork Schlieffen Plan
Alexander von Kluck movement Schlieffen Plan offensive of 1914
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
Battle of Le Cateau associatedWith Schlieffen Plan offensive
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
Battle of Liège strategicContext German Schlieffen Plan
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
German 4th Army usedDoctrine Schlieffen Plan (operational framework)
linked to: Schlieffen Plan
Belgian neutrality relatedEvent Schlieffen Plan