There Was a Schlieffen Plan: New Sources on the History of German Military Planning

Abstract

For almost ten years international military historians have been discussing Terence Zuber's thesis of the Schlieffen Plan being just a myth designed by the German general staff after the First World War to cover up the mistakes committed by German generals in that war. This debate, led with particular ferocity in War and History, is based on German files that Zuber was the first to study. The following paper, however, challenges Zuber's theories on the basis of files and maps Zuber failed to consider. It seeks to prove that there was a basic operational-strategic doctrine — the Schlieffen Plan — and Schlieffen's successor stuck unwaveringly to it, although a few operational modifications were made. This doctrine was even implemented by the Wehrmacht in the Second World War, albeit in a modified version.