The reasons for the The reasons for the stalemate on the stalemate on the

western frontwestern front

- - Allied Factors/The battle of the Allied Factors/The battle of the MarneMarne

- - German factors/ The failure of the Schlieffen Plan-- Increased Technology

German Factors/ The failure of German Factors/ The failure of the Schleiffen Planthe Schleiffen Plan

The main reason for the stalemate starting was the failure The main reason for the stalemate starting was the failure of the Schlieffen plan. The aim of the plan was to invade of the Schlieffen plan. The aim of the plan was to invade France on the Western front followed by an attack on France on the Western front followed by an attack on Russia meaning both enemies would be defeated Russia meaning both enemies would be defeated without having to fight a war on both fronts. The plan without having to fight a war on both fronts. The plan relied on timing and being able to go through neutral relied on timing and being able to go through neutral Belgium and Netherlands in order to attack France. Belgium and Netherlands in order to attack France. Germany did not however stick to the strict timing which Germany did not however stick to the strict timing which allowed Britain and France time to mobilise. Advancing allowed Britain and France time to mobilise. Advancing through Belgium also brought Britain into the war due to through Belgium also brought Britain into the war due to the ‘scrap of paper’ alliance. Moltke the German chief the ‘scrap of paper’ alliance. Moltke the German chief also weakened the right wing making it more difficult for also weakened the right wing making it more difficult for the Germans to reach the West side of Paris and were the Germans to reach the West side of Paris and were brought to a halt at the battle of the Marne.brought to a halt at the battle of the Marne.

This map illustrates This map illustrates the original aims of the original aims of the Von Schlieffen the Von Schlieffen plan allowing plan allowing historians to draw historians to draw comparisons comparisons between this and between this and the actual troop the actual troop movements in movements in order to draw order to draw conclusions as to conclusions as to why the plan was a why the plan was a failure.failure.

Original Schlieffen plan mapPerspective: Source is secondary and of the German perspective as it depicts the original intentions of the Schlieffen Plan

Sourced from: Textbook: Webb, K (2003) World War I From Sarajevo to Versailles. Australia: McGraw- Hill

Schlieffen Plan and actual troop movements mapPerspective: Secondary, mutual perspective representing German movements.

Sourced from: http://encarta.msn.com/media_681500236/schlieffen_plan_and_ actual_troop_movements.html

The map demonstrates The map demonstrates the changes that were the changes that were made by the German chief made by the German chief Moltke to the Schlieffen Moltke to the Schlieffen Plan. He decided to only Plan. He decided to only advance through Belgium advance through Belgium instead of also through the instead of also through the Netherlands causing a Netherlands causing a bottleneck at Aachen and bottleneck at Aachen and Liege. He also weakened Liege. He also weakened the right wing (illustrated the right wing (illustrated in yellow) and the troops in yellow) and the troops therefore did not reach therefore did not reach the west side of Paris as the west side of Paris as intended. intended.

““It will be very It will be very important to have in important to have in Holland a country Holland a country whose neutrality whose neutrality allows us to have allows us to have imports and imports and supplies…however supplies…however awkward it may be, awkward it may be, the advance through the advance through Belgium must Belgium must therefore take place therefore take place without the violation without the violation of Dutch territory”of Dutch territory”

The quote represents Moltke’s intentions in making change’s to the Schleiffen plan by entering France only through Belgium and not also through the Netherlands. This could allow historians to decide whether the changes made by Moltke were the reasons for the failure or if the plan was destined for failure from the beginning.

Quote by MoltkePerspective: Von Moltke- German chief of general staff.Sourced from: Dennett, B., and Dixon, S. (2003) Key features of modern History. Australia: Oxford University Press.

Source from the Dictionary of Modern HistoryPerspective: Secondary source from historian Alan Palmer

Sourced From: A. Palmer, Dictionary of Modern History, Penguin, 1983, p.257

““It may however be doubted It may however be doubted whether the Schlieffen Plan whether the Schlieffen Plan deserves it high reputation, deserves it high reputation, for its author had for its author had underestimated the strength underestimated the strength of the Russians and the near of the Russians and the near

panic that their advance panic that their advance would cause in Berlin, would cause in Berlin, the the power of Belgian power of Belgian resistance, resistance, the the effectiveness of the British effectiveness of the British Expeditionary Force, and the Expeditionary Force, and the importance of the French railway importance of the French railway system in bringing up reserves.”system in bringing up reserves.”

This source is useful as This source is useful as it illustrates a secondary it illustrates a secondary perspective of the perspective of the reasons for the failure of reasons for the failure of the Schlieffen Plan. the Schlieffen Plan. Including the Including the underestimated underestimated strength of Russia, the strength of Russia, the power of Belgian power of Belgian resistance and the resistance and the effectiveness of the effectiveness of the British forces.It also British forces.It also proves reasons as to proves reasons as to why the Plan may not why the Plan may not have succeeded even have succeeded even without the changes without the changes made my Moltke.made my Moltke.

Allied factorsAllied factorsGermany’s plan to advance through Belgium was Germany’s plan to advance through Belgium was slowed significantly by Belgium forces. This slowing slowed significantly by Belgium forces. This slowing

of the advance caused the Schlieffen plan to of the advance caused the Schlieffen plan to be behind target. The time delays of Germans entering be behind target. The time delays of Germans entering also allowed the British to mobilise. Britain fought also allowed the British to mobilise. Britain fought Germany at Mons in Western Belgium which also Germany at Mons in Western Belgium which also caused time delays. On September 1914 the German caused time delays. On September 1914 the German advancement was brought to a halt by France at the advancement was brought to a halt by France at the battle of the Marne. This French victory ensured the battle of the Marne. This French victory ensured the development of trench warfare that would be development of trench warfare that would be continued for the next four years on the Western front. continued for the next four years on the Western front. The ‘race to the sea’ was a strategy that aimed at The ‘race to the sea’ was a strategy that aimed at gaining control of the channel ports which would give gaining control of the channel ports which would give either side a huge advantage. This race did not bring either side a huge advantage. This race did not bring about any breakthroughs for either side and only about any breakthroughs for either side and only proved to increase the length of the trenchesproved to increase the length of the trenches

This cartoon illustrates a This cartoon illustrates a small Belgium man small Belgium man guarding a gate and a guarding a gate and a large German advancing large German advancing with a weapon. This with a weapon. This represents the resistance represents the resistance held by the Belgium held by the Belgium forces. This slowing of the forces. This slowing of the advance caused the advance caused the Schlieffen plan to be Schlieffen plan to be behind target therefore behind target therefore contributing to the contributing to the stalemate.stalemate.

‘Bravo Belgium’ Punch CartoonPerspective: Punch Magazine and is therefore from an English perspective.

Sourced From: Textbook: Webb, K (2003) World War I From Sarajevo to Versailles. Australia: McGraw- Hill

The map depicts the path The map depicts the path in which the tranches in which the tranches were built along whilst were built along whilst the Germans and allies the Germans and allies raced to the sea using raced to the sea using outflanking outflanking movements. This movements. This guaranteed the guaranteed the development of long development of long stretches of trenches stretches of trenches contributing to the contributing to the stalemate stalemate

Race to the Sea map

Perspective: Secondary, mutual perspective representing troop movements.

Sourced from: http://www.historyofwar.org/Maps/maps_race_to_sea.html

This photograph depicts This photograph depicts French taxicabs lined French taxicabs lined up carrying French up carrying French troops to the Battle of troops to the Battle of the Marne. It the Marne. It represents the represents the efficiency in which the efficiency in which the French were able to French were able to mobilise signifying mobilise signifying their success at the their success at the battle of the Marne, battle of the Marne, pushing Germany away pushing Germany away from Paris and bringing from Paris and bringing the war to a halt.the war to a halt.

Photograph of French Taxicabs Before the Battle of the Marne Perspective: French photographer Sourced From: http://encarta.msn.com/media_681500229_761569981_1_1/Taxicabs_Bound_for_the_First_Battle_of_the_Marne.html

This photograph is This photograph is useful in depicting the useful in depicting the long stretches of long stretches of trench lines that were trench lines that were a result of the ‘race to a result of the ‘race to the sea’. The the sea’. The development of huge development of huge trench lines meant trench lines meant that tactics such as the that tactics such as the long process of long process of attrition began to be attrition began to be used ensuring the used ensuring the development of the development of the stalemate.stalemate.

Aerial photograph of long stretches of Trenches Perspective: Primary, mutual perspectiveSourced From: Dennett, B., and Dixon, S. (2003) Key features of modern History. Australia: Oxford University Press.

Increased technologyIncreased technologyDuring this time technology increased significantly including the use of gas, machine guns and barbed wire. Although this was advancing, the techniques used by each side did not adapt which made it very difficult to make any progress against the enemy lines. The many battles undertaken by both the Germans and the allies proved to weaken each side and its supplies. It also brought about a highly developed trench system. These factors made it more difficult for a war of movement and therefore resulted in a stalemate.

This photograph pictures This photograph pictures the Vicker machine gun the Vicker machine gun adopted by the British in adopted by the British in 1912. It is useful 1912. It is useful depicting the type of depicting the type of machine guns that were machine guns that were available and its available and its effectiveness in defense effectiveness in defense which therefore ensured which therefore ensured that there were no that there were no breakthroughs from breakthroughs from either side on the either side on the Western Front.Western Front.

Photograph of British Machine GunPerspective: British photographer which therefore represents British perspective.

Sourced From: http://gunhistoryindia.blogspot.com/2008/09/history-of-guns-indian-national-army.html

This diagram depicts This diagram depicts the ideal British the ideal British trench. Although trench. Although this was not the this was not the reality of the reality of the majority of trenches majority of trenches it can still give it can still give historians insight historians insight into the into the development of development of trenches which were trenches which were ideal for defensive ideal for defensive purposes purposes contributing to the contributing to the stalemate. stalemate.

Highly developed trench system diagramPerspective: Secondary, British perspective depicting the ideal trench.

Sourced From: Textbook: Webb, K (2003) World War I From Sarajevo to Versailles. Australia: McGraw- Hill

Photograph of Allied soldier caught in barbed wire

Perspective: A war time photographerSourced From:

http://www.nd.edu/~dlindley/govt491/govt491maincoursepage.html

This photograph This photograph depicts a dead allied depicts a dead allied soldier caught in soldier caught in barbed wire. It is useful barbed wire. It is useful as it depicts the as it depicts the difficulties that barbed difficulties that barbed wire caused in wire caused in reaching enemy lines. reaching enemy lines. This difficulty restricted This difficulty restricted movement and movement and contributed to the contributed to the development of the development of the stalemate.stalemate.

“Gas! GAS! Quick, boys! An ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling, And flound’ring like a man in fire or lime… Dim, through the misty panes and thick green light, As under a green sea, I saw him drowning”

Extract from War Poem, Dulce et DecorumPerspective: Wilfred Owen, English soldier and war poet.Sourced from: Owen, W, Dulce et Decorum est in cross, T, The Lost Voices of World War One, Bloomsbury, London, 1988, p.78

This sources is useful This sources is useful as it offers a first hand as it offers a first hand account of the effects account of the effects that gas has on that gas has on soldiers. It provides soldiers. It provides insight into the way in insight into the way in which gas was used for which gas was used for defensive measures defensive measures which made it more which made it more difficult for soldiers to difficult for soldiers to cross the enemy lines. cross the enemy lines. Contributing to the Contributing to the stalemate.stalemate.