Post by andrew on Nov 30, 2004 15:34:10 GMT -5
The Germans had started their Schlieffen plan, with the hopes to knockout the French with one swift blow. As this unbelievable blow began to fall on the French their lines crack and a retreating army became a routed army. However, just before the Germans came to the line of Forts outside of Paris the Miracle on the Marne occurred. To everyone’s dismay the French had rallied and saved their capital and possibly the war.
Once the trenches were dug we see countless lives being spent for miles, yards, feet, and even inches. The hopes of breaking thru and creating a fluid war did not work when either side attempted. However, in 1916 the Germans came up with the Creeping Barrage to protect their troops and weed the enemy out. The attack was set on the battlefield of Verdun. The initial attack was a huge surprise and the defenders retreated in hopes of escaping the Creeping Artillery. The Germans succeeded in taking Fort Dounamount and were within a mile of totally cracking the French lines. But then something happened again.
In the mist of battle which had lasted for weeks and weeks the holes in the German lines were growing. The exhaust of the men was unbearable. They were so close but mere mortals cannot go on indefinately under such conditions. As the entire French army sent reinforcements and commander Petain rejuvenated the defenders the Germans had this one chance before the French would arrive in force.
But when asked by the Crown Prince and various other German commanders, Falkenhayn refrained from using the Reserves. Maybe he believed they would be used once the hole had been punched. Maybe he wanted to have troops in case the French counterattacked. Or maybe, like he shows throughout the war, He didn't know what to do! If he would have sent the reserves in just as the weary Germans attacks petered out the renewed attempt would have pierced the French defenses and the whole thing would have come down. This was one of the closest chances the Germans had to win this war. The most aggressive country in the whole war had a Theatre Commander who was indecisive; some even say that Conrad of Austria would have done better.
Your Opinions, Questions, Remarks?
Once the trenches were dug we see countless lives being spent for miles, yards, feet, and even inches. The hopes of breaking thru and creating a fluid war did not work when either side attempted. However, in 1916 the Germans came up with the Creeping Barrage to protect their troops and weed the enemy out. The attack was set on the battlefield of Verdun. The initial attack was a huge surprise and the defenders retreated in hopes of escaping the Creeping Artillery. The Germans succeeded in taking Fort Dounamount and were within a mile of totally cracking the French lines. But then something happened again.
In the mist of battle which had lasted for weeks and weeks the holes in the German lines were growing. The exhaust of the men was unbearable. They were so close but mere mortals cannot go on indefinately under such conditions. As the entire French army sent reinforcements and commander Petain rejuvenated the defenders the Germans had this one chance before the French would arrive in force.
But when asked by the Crown Prince and various other German commanders, Falkenhayn refrained from using the Reserves. Maybe he believed they would be used once the hole had been punched. Maybe he wanted to have troops in case the French counterattacked. Or maybe, like he shows throughout the war, He didn't know what to do! If he would have sent the reserves in just as the weary Germans attacks petered out the renewed attempt would have pierced the French defenses and the whole thing would have come down. This was one of the closest chances the Germans had to win this war. The most aggressive country in the whole war had a Theatre Commander who was indecisive; some even say that Conrad of Austria would have done better.
Your Opinions, Questions, Remarks?