Overview

The existence of the Schlieffen plan has been one of the basic assumptions of twentieth-century military history. It was the perfect example of the evils of German militarism: aggressive, mechanical, disdainful of politics and of public morality. The Great War began in August 1914 allegedly because the Schlieffen plan forced the German government to transform a Balkan quarrel into a World War by attacking France. And, in the end, the Schlieffen plan failed at the battle of the Marne.Yet it has always been recognized that the Schlieffen plan included inconsistencies which have never been satisfactorily explained. On the basis of newly discovered documents from German archives, Terence Zuber presents a radically different picture of German war planning between 1871 and 1914, and concludes that, in fact, there never really was a 'Schlieffen plan'.

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9780198718055

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Reviews

Zuber's scholarly work will play an important role in the continuing debates on military planning and on its relationship to the coming of World War One. Journal of European Studies Zuber has produced an important work that throws much light on war planning and also on the process by which strategic interpretations become part of historiography. Journal of European Studies Zuber's new work is undoubtedly intellectually exciting, and has opened up new fronts in military and diplomatic history. Gary Sheffield, Times Literary Supplement the most important book on World War I in decades Robert Citino, author of The German Way of War All the older literature now needs to be revised in the light of Zuber Sir Hew Strachan, author of The First World War: To Arms

All the older literature now needs to be revised in the light of Zuber * Sir Hew Strachan, author of The First World War: To Arms * the most important book on World War I in decades * Robert Citino, author of The German Way of War * Zuber's new work is undoubtedly intellectually exciting, and has opened up new fronts in military and diplomatic history. * Gary Sheffield, Times Literary Supplement * Zuber has produced an important work that throws much light on war planning and also on the process by which strategic interpretations become part of historiography. * Journal of European Studies * Zuber's scholarly work will play an important role in the continuing debates on military planning and on its relationship to the coming of World War One. * Journal of European Studies *

Author Information

Terence Zuber is a retired United States Army Officer, who received his Ph.D. from the University of Würzburg.

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