The Schlieffen Plan Germany’s plan to “hit first”, if they should feel war is inevitable

The Schlieffen PlanGermany’s plan to “hit first”, if they

should feel war is inevitable

II. The IdeaIn 1905, Alfred von Schlieffen (a German general) argued that if war took place it was vital that France was defeated quickly. If this happened, Britain and Russia would be unwilling to carry on fighting. The Schlieffen Plan required that Germany surprise France by marching through the neutral countries of Belgium and Luxemburg.

I. The BackgroundIn 1904, France and Britain signed a treaty of “friendly understanding”. The goal of the treaty was to encourage co-operation against the threat of Germany. The German military began to fear the possibility of a combined attack from France, Britain (and later Russia).

What was the Schlieffen Plan and do you think it was a good plan?

Why or Why not?

III. The OutcomeThe Schlieffen Plan would be used after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, but it would not be successful. The Belgium Army was destroyed, but it fought hard enough to stall the Germans. This gave the French enough time to realize Germany’s intentions and ruined the surprise attack.

IV. The ControversyAfter the war the Germans would be harshly criticized and penalized because It was against international law for a country to use a neutral country for any military operation. If a country declares itself “neutral” no other country may use them for military purposes.

What was the outcome and the controversy with the Schlieffen

Plan? What went wrong?

• A quick German Victory was now impossible.

• The Germans are now forced to fight a two front war.

• Western Front—Britain, France, U.S. etc.

• Eastern Front—Russia

Alfred von Schlieffen, German Army Chief of Staff

What do you think the problem is with fighting a two front war? Why do you think the Germans tried to

avoid this?

THE WAR STARTS AND RUSSIA, WHICH IS NOT INDUSTRIALIZED, IS FORCED TO FIGHT GERMANY (VERY INDUSTRIALIZED) ALL ALONE.

THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTIONBEFORE WWI, RUSSIA HAD A CZAR

[KING]. AT THE END OF WWI RUSSIA IS A COMMUNIST NATION, THE CZAR IS OUT OF POWER AND THEY NO LONGER CALL THEMSELVES RUSSIA. THEY CALL THEMSELVES “THE SOVIET UNION”

WHAT HAPPENED ????

THE 3 FACTORS THAT CAUSED THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION

I. WWI GOES VERY WRONG FOR RUSSIA

3. RASPUTIN

2. THE CZAR MAKES SOME BAD DECISIONS

A. UP TO 2.5 MILLION RUSSIANS WERE KILLED DURING THE WAR

B. RUSSIA BECAME BANKRUPT BECAUSE OF THE COST OF THE WAR

I. WWI GOES VERY WRONG FOR RUSSIA

C. PEOPLE BEGAN TO STARVE. MANY HAD LOST THEIR SONS OR FATHERS TO THE WAR

How does WWI go wrong for Russia? How does this lead to

Revolution?

A. HE DRAGGED HIS COUNTRY INTO A WAR THEY COULD NOT WIN

B. HE LED HIS OWN ARMIES ON THE FRONT LINE AND THEREFORE TOOK THE BLAME FOR ALL LOSSES

C. HE TOLD HIS ARMY TO SHOOT RUSSIAN CIVILIANS THAT RIOTED [INCLUDING WOMEN]

2. THE CZAR MAKES SOME BAD DECISIONS

What are the bad decisions that the Czar makes? How does that lead to

Revolution?

3. RASPUTIN… MORE DETAILS LATER

II. THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION (1917)A. REVOLUTION #1: CZAR GIVES ORDER FOR TROOPS TO FIRE UPON RIOTING CROWDS (INCLUDING SOME COMMUNISTS). THE SOLDIERS REVOLT AND THE CZAR ABDICATES (RESIGNS).

B. A NEW GOVERNMENT “THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT” IS FORMED WHICH INCLUDES COMMUNISTS AND SOME WHO USED TO WORK WITH THE CZAR

C. REVOLUTION #2: LENIN LEADS BOLSHEVIK’S (COMMUNISTS) AND OVERTHROWS “THE PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT”

Who is the Father of Communism in Russia and who are the Bolsheviks?

Use these questions to explain the basics of the Russian Revolution.

3. RASPUTIN

Holy Man OR Con Man

NO OTHER PERSON HAS BEEN BLAMED FOR THE FALL OF THE ROMANOV DYNASTY AND THE BEGINNING OF THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION THAN GREGORY RASPUTIN.

SOME SAID HE WAS A HOLY MAN.

OTHERS SAID HE WAS A FRAUD, A CON MAN.

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

RASPUTIN

BORN JANUARY 10, 1869

A PEASANT

VERY LITTLE EDUCATION

MONK?RELIGIOUS

EXPERIENCE AT 19 YEARS OLD

RUSSIAN ORTHODOX

BELIEVED IN “SIN TO DRIVE SIN OUT”

ADOPTED THE ROBES OF A MONK

OR SKUNK?VILE?

THIEF

WOMANIZER

DRUNKARD

THE CZARS FAMILY:

THE ROMANOVSNO MALE HEIR TO THE THRONE

THEN

ALEXIS WAS BORN

BUT… ALEXIS SUFFERED FROM HEMOPHILIA

Czar Nicholas II and Tsarevich Alexis Nicholaievich, c.1913

RASPUTIN GOES TO ST. PETERSBURG [RUSSIA’S

CAPITOL CITY]SELF PROCLAIMED HOLY MAN

HELD GREAT POWER OVER THE ROMANOVS

STOPPED ALEXIS’ BLEEDING

CONTROVERSY ABOUT HOW HE DID IT

RASPUTIN’S INFLUENCE INCREASES

THE CZAR IS AWAY FIGHTING THE WAR

RASPUTIN IS AT ALEXANDRA’S SIDE MAKING IMPORTANT DECISIONS ABOUT RUSSIA

THE ELITES AND ROYAL FAMILY FEAR FOR RUSSIA’S FUTURE

RASPUTIN CLAIMS THAT THE ROMANOV’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON HIM

CARTOONS OF THE DAY SHOW WHAT THE ELITES AND ROYAL

FAMILIES THOUGHT OF RASPUTIN

Scurrilous cartoon depicting Nicholas and Alexandra as puppets of Rasputin, c. 1915.

Discuss with your partner the details of Rasputin’s rise to power in

Russia.

PATHWAY TO DEATHINVITATION TO ROYAL FAMILY HOME

RASPUTIN IS DRUGGED

POISONED

BEATEN

SHOT THREE TIMES

THROWN INTO A FROZEN RIVER

Analyze the Cartoon

Discuss the details of the death of Rasputin and how it only adds more

confusion to his story

THE REST OF THE STORYSUPPORTERS OF THE CZAR ARE

JUBILANT80% OF THE RUSSIAN POPULATION THOUGHT RASPUTIN WAS A MAN OF THE PEOPLE. MOSTLY PEASANTS LIKE RASPUTIN (rags to riches).

THE ROMANOVS LOSE THE THRONE WITHIN THREE MONTHS AFTER RASPUTIN’S DEATH