- 17 Oct 2016 00:50
#14727057
It was delusional. Not only would the British and French have likely invaded Belgium anyway, to prevent the important fortresses from falling into German hands, but the essential requirement of the plan was that von Kluck's First Army, in echelon with von Bulow's Second Army, successfully encircle Paris and force the government to capitulate. This was unlikely for several reasons. Firstly, perhaps most significantly, the men who were supposed to make this assault were totally exhausted by the rapid tempo of operations in August, and were at the end of their long supply lines. Secondly, the BEF and French armies had inflicted serious casualties on Kluck and Bulow's forces during their delaying battle, which included operations on the Belgian coast that further diverted German forces.
Thirdly, by the time the First Army was reaching its staging position for the assault on Paris, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff had dispatched two corps for redeployment to the East, reducing the margin of strength for the assaulting armies. At GQG, meanwhile, Joffre had built up a powerful Paris garrison that actaully outnumbered the attacking German forces in terms of divisions (I think Keegan gives the number of 30 to 27 or so).
Fourthly, the French government had already been relocated to Bordeaux, and so would not have been captured even had a local victory been achieved at the Marne. The answer to the question is that Germany was not going to defeat France and Britain in 1914, and was therefore going to lose the war as the British and French empires mobilized and used their sea power to cutoff Germany's access to raw materials and foodstuffs.
Thirdly, by the time the First Army was reaching its staging position for the assault on Paris, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff had dispatched two corps for redeployment to the East, reducing the margin of strength for the assaulting armies. At GQG, meanwhile, Joffre had built up a powerful Paris garrison that actaully outnumbered the attacking German forces in terms of divisions (I think Keegan gives the number of 30 to 27 or so).
Fourthly, the French government had already been relocated to Bordeaux, and so would not have been captured even had a local victory been achieved at the Marne. The answer to the question is that Germany was not going to defeat France and Britain in 1914, and was therefore going to lose the war as the British and French empires mobilized and used their sea power to cutoff Germany's access to raw materials and foodstuffs.
The concepts "WAR" and "PROGRESS" are now obsolete.