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Posted by Poldertijger (U11154078) on Monday, 21st June 2010
Hello all.
Over on the French message board Passion-Histoire I have met an individual, who claims that the German von Schlieffen plan for the invasion of France was betrayed to the French back in 1904.
I had no knowledge that the French knew about the von Schlieffen plan and I can't find any information about this alleged betrayal on Google. Can anyone give me information that could shed some light on this interesting claim?
Regards,
Poldertijger
Link to this forum: Has the German von Schlieffen plan been betrayed to the French?
Considering the plan wasn't developed until late 1905, I woud have said it was impossible for the French to have it in 1904.
Link to this forum: Has the German von Schlieffen plan been betrayed to the French?
If they knew what to expect, it makes them look even more stupid.
What kind of boxer throws a straight right, leaving his chin open, when he knows his opponent is about to hit him with a massive right hook under the ear?
Link to this forum: Has the German von Schlieffen plan been betrayed to the French?
A British heavyweight?
Link to this forum: Has the German von Schlieffen plan been betrayed to the French?
You're right!
Some of them made even the French High Command look intelligent.
Link to this forum: Has the German von Schlieffen plan been betrayed to the French?
Hello Steelers, giraffe and Urnungal,
I'm sorry for the delay; I've been away for a day.
Considering the plan wasn't developed until late 1905, I woud have said it was impossible for the French to have it in 1904. Β
The Schlieffen plan was adopted by the German high-command in 1905, but it was conceived earlier, so it lies within the realm of possibilities that the plan was betrayed to the French in 1904.
What kind of boxer throws a straight right, leaving his chin open, when he knows his opponent is about to hit him with a massive right hook under the ear? Β
The kind, who expects that his opponent will never be able to hurt him, because his friend is about to attack his enemy from behind.
The French and Russians had synchronized their war plans in case they had to fight the Germans and both had come up with an offensive plan. The French would be invading Alsace-Lorraine, while the Russians would be invading Eastern Prussia. The Russian plan was very ingenious: the Russians knew they wouldn't be able to mobilise their entire army in a short while so they settled for a partial mobilisation of their elite troops that would be able to invade Eastern Prussia. The Russian plan of attack is revealing; why would the Russians dare to attack the Germans with a relatively small amount of troops, unless they had known that the German troops would be in the West fighting the French?
Joffre must have thought that the combined offensives of both the French and Russians would force the Germans to go over to the defensive. For lack of a German plan B, the German high-command didn't oblige.
The story is revealed in Collective, '14 -'18 - Mourir pour la patrie, Seuil. Paris, 1992; reprint Seuil, 2007
Regards,
Poldertijger
Link to this forum: Has the German von Schlieffen plan been betrayed to the French?
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