shliefan plan and reasons for failure

The Schlieffen Plan was a German General Staff thought-experiment and set of deployment plans and recommendations to German Chancellors for the First World War.
-It was designed in 1905 by Alfred von Schlieffen

Reasons for Failure:

1. Underestimation of Belgian Resistance: The plan assumed that Belgium would offer only token resistance, but the Belgian army fought fiercely, slowing the German advance.
2. Unexpected Speed of Russian Mobilization: Russia mobilized its forces much faster than Germany anticipated, forcing Germany to divert troops to the Eastern Front, weakening the Western Front offensive.
3. British Intervention: Britain honored its treaty obligation to protect Belgium and declared war on Germany. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was small but highly professional, and its intervention further slowed the German advance.
4. Logistical Challenges: The rapid advance placed immense strain on German logistics. Supplying the advancing troops with food, ammunition, and reinforcements became increasingly difficult.
5. Changes to the Plan by Moltke: Helmuth von Moltke the Younger, who succeeded Schlieffen, made critical changes to the plan, weakening the right wing (the main attacking force) and diverting troops to defend Alsace-Lorraine. These changes reduced the plan's chances of success.
6. The Battle of the Marne: The culmination of these failures was the Battle of the Marne in September 1914. French and British forces halted the German advance, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan's chances of success and leading to trench warfare.