Armchair Quarterback

Let's imagine you are in charge of Germany in 1914, how would you conduct the war, according to the Schliffen Plan or make up your own strategy. For me I would keep to the defensive in the West and let the French bleed themselves white by attacking heavily fortified forts and strongholds, by not invading through Belgium, England stays out of the war, I would bring all my forces to bear against the weaker and more unstable Russia and use envelopment and flanking strategy to encircle the Russians as was done in WW2 and knock them out in a quick war and then bring my combined forces against a weakened French defense.
 
I would eliminate the risk of encirclement altogether; I'd let Russia curbstomp Austria-Hungary, then send overtures of alliance to Cousin Nikki. Then I'd wait a few years, find some cassus belli against France, and throw my entire army against them while Russia swoops through the Balkans. Maybe I'd open up another front by persuading Italy to allow me to invade the south of France from there.
 

BlondieBC

Banned
A lot would depend on the exact date of the POD, and how much latitude you gave me. If early enough, i don't give the Austrians a blank check and i don't go on vacation in the late summer. I also start co-ordination between the Germans and A-H staff. If i did give the blank check, i have A-H accept the Serbian reply. Yes, Russia is getting stronger, but Germany will also get stronger, and France has a low birth rate and the 3-year-conscription drags on the economy. A-H needs to reorganize, and I know a lot of things to improve the German military, but you seem to want a war.

Britain was likely to enter the war anyway, just not necessarily immediately. It is a hotly debated point, but i believe Britain would have intervened. It is also difficult to overhaul a mobilization schedule at the last minute, and the a lot of French industry was captured. So I would still execute the attack in the West, but put more focus on sweeping the channel ports. The objective is to take a much of France as possible, to weaken France. I would also halt the counter attack in the A-L before the heavy forts were attacked.

The real problem is in the East in Lemburg and Pemburg, and the low quality A-H army. The CP need not to lose so these two towns for both the troops for later on, and to make less likely Italy enters the war. Or, hopefully at least delay Italy entering the war. As soon as the push into France hits heavy resistance, and the Germans stop advancing, I will transfer troops to help A-H as fast as possible. Even saving one of the cities will help a lot. As reserve corp become available, they will mostly be sent to the east. If i have control/influence over A-H, the second army goes straight to Russia, and i begin a full mobilization as soon as the Serb reply is received. I will basically use War Plan Russia, not War Plan Balkans. Also no unrestricted warfare, I want to give the British blockade some time to have more effect on the USA and I want to have enough ships to be decisive when applied. Diplomatically, i will push for Romania and Italy to join the CP. Short of A-H territory, I will give them the world to join the CP.

The 1915 strategy will be what you suggest, east focus, strategic defense in the west. Order of Priority of task, done til completed.

1) Don't lose land on any front.
2) Save Lemburg, Pemburg.
3) Conquer Poland to shorten lines, kill Russians, and hurt Russian morale.
4) Knock out Serbia.
5) Knock out Romania if in war against us.
6) Take land from Russia to drive Russia out of the war and gain resources.
7) Knock out Italy.
8) Knock out France.

BTW, the Germans did try to envelope at various places, but they the Entente could generally pull out forces before surrounded. In WW1, the attacker walked, the defender used trains.
 
Call it ASB

If I were Germany in 1914-
I would put a diplomatic offensive emphasizing no German mobilization to counter Russia and make it abundantly clear Russia has to really want an aggressive war to support their bumbling Serbian cats' paws.

I'd call up TR or Woodrow Wilson to set up an international forum someplace neutral, say Iceland or the Azores to arbitrate the dispute beytween A-H and Serbia.

It does three things:

One-it cuts' Russia's nuts off, putting it in front of God and everyone how provocative and stupid the Serbs were.
If Germany's not attacking anyone, France has no reason whatsoever to jump anywhere, nor would the Russians get any assurances of backing from France or the UK IF the Germans didn't mobilize.
The Russian military knew that, but were hoping a bluff would get A-H to back off on threats of invading Serbia.
Tsar Nicholas wanted to look tough as Protector of the Slavs but if he were doing strictly on his own, without Entente help, it would've made the 1905 meltdown look pretty against Germany AND A-H.

Two- A-H has to make its case to a lot of nations, not just Kaiser Bill, Gavrilo Princip 's paymasters needed to stretch a rope.
Hot-headed nationalism would then be confronted and dealt with internationally.
A-H would NOT get carte blanche to make war on all of Serbia, just get satisfaction that the Serbs would pay dearly for funding a terrorist group murdering their crown prince.

Russia would find itself diplomatically isolated as the Okhrana's activites in preciptating this crisis become better puiblicized.

Sure, it's a bunch of fat wolves deciding which sheep is for dinner, but compared to the ****-storm WWI turned out to be, prompting WWII to settle the leftover beefs from WWI- and even more millions dead., um, I'll take uneasy imperialist stasis, thanks.

Three- Hopefully, it butterflies the formation of the Soviet Union, the world's first pariah state and therefore allows true international law and cooperation to be a reality.

Anything else starts the automatic escalation to war.

Sure, every nation knew they could take out their primary target IF nobody else got involved.
Russia could take out A-H. Germany could take France. However, the interlocking alliances just dragged more victims into the meat-grinder.
No hate on Romania or Bulgaria, but playing from the German perspective, I'd vastly prefer keeping France, Russia, and the UK out of the equation vs Romania and Bulgaria as fervent staunch CP allies to the bitter end.
No violation of Belgian neutrality, no German offensive means France has no reason whatsover to do anything.
The UK vastly preferred not to get involved, unless the Germans were trying to upset applecarts and attack their ally. If France is in no danger, they stay on the sidelines.
Without Russia, the UK or France getting involved, Serbia's in a spectacularly bad position to be provoking anyone. They might not care and after getting made into a League of Nations (or whatever they want to call themselves) "protectorate" if their leadership refuses to turn over the folks responsible.
 
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I`d create a new command level called army group right wing and give 1 through 4 armies to the overall command of Falkenhayen. I`d give him a couple of command trains and other mobile HQs and set up redundant communications with OHL. I`d get him to alter the order in which 1 and 2 armies pass through the Liege defile so 1 army isn`t knackered later on. I`d give him a firm set of secondary objectives such as the capture of Amiens. I`d reinforce the right wing once the attacks on the left were repulsed so that Germany wins the race to the sea. I`d fortify the French coast and put big guns on Cap Griz Nez to try to close it to shipping.

The rest writes itself.
 
I read somewhere on here that the Kaiser apparently wanted to take on Russia first, just sit behind the fortified French border and not implement Schiefflin so as to ensure Britain stays neutral for now. If that is true and it's plausible then that's what I'd do.
 
I read somewhere on here that the Kaiser apparently wanted to take on Russia first, just sit behind the fortified French border and not implement Schiefflin so as to ensure Britain stays neutral for now. If that is true and it's plausible then that's what I'd do.
I was pretty much going to write this. As soon as peace with Russia can be established, the better.
 
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