Schlieffen's Plan

In 1904 France and Britain signed the Entente Cordiale. The reason for this alliance was to get a few countries grouped together against the perceived threat of Germany's powerful army. Talk also began to add Russia to this alliance bringing all three, France, Britain and Russia together. As a result of these alliances the German military began to fear the possibility of being attacked from both sides all at once from France, Britain and Russia. Germany gave Alfred von Schlieffen, the German Army Chief of Staff, the responsibility for coming up with a plan to defeat the allies. This plan was called the Schlieffen Plan.

The Plan involved hitting France hard, with 90 percent of the total German army. The remaining 10 percent of the army would stay back and defend again any Russian advances on Germany. Schlieffen thought that taking out France was the key to winning the war as quickly as possible. He thought that if France was defeated then Britain and Russia would not want to continue the fighting. Schlieffen estimated that it would take at least six weeks for Russia to organize there large army for an attack on Germany. This meant that it was very important that Germany was able to invade and defeat France before then.

In August 1914 the Schlieffen Plan was put into effect and the German Army invaded Luxembourg and Belgium. Germany thought they would have no problem taking out the two cities but were unexpectedly held up by the Belgium army. While being held up there they were again surprised as to how quickly the Russian army was able to advance into East Prussia. Soon after which the British force also reached France and Belgium to fight against the Germans.

The French and British fell back to the other side of the River