With The Aid Of A Map Explain How The Schlieffen Plan Was Supposed To Be Carried Out

This plan of attack was aimed at Paris. The invasion would be made through Belgium, which was believed to be neutral at the time. Also the German’s thought that if Belgium did try to stop them, they would give little resistance.

Then the German armies would split into different forces and surround Paris. Schlieffen believed that if Paris were captured, France would fall and surrender. A maximum time for invasion was calculated at six weeks. This was because Schlieffen believed that the Russian army would take at least six weeks to mobilise. By the time the Russian’s were mobilised the German’s would already have taken Paris, and could immediately move all the forces to the Eastern front to deal with the Russian’s.

Another drawback was the Treaty of London. It was an agreement between Britain and Belgium, which had been made in 1839. It meant that if any country invaded Belgium, Britain would declare war on that country. However, the German’s thought that Great Britain would never stand by this because it was so old.

This Schlieffen Plan was thought out well in advance of the war and looked as if it was going to be successful when it was on paper. However, when it was put into action it was very poorly executed, and was a total failure.