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In the 1890s, German strategy was defensive with most troops assigned to deterring a Russian attack. With Russian attention focused on the Far East during the Russo-Japanese war (1904-1905), such caution seemed excessive. Schlieffen sketched a plan to outflank the French fortresses on the Franco-German border by advancing through Belgium. A large German force would swing around Paris and attack the French from the south. This "Memorandum for a War against France" was an early version of the Schlieffen Plan. It ignored Russia altogether.

In the 1890s, German strategy was defensive with most troops assigned to deterring a Russian attack. With Russian attention focused on the Far East during the Russo-Japanese war (1904-1905), such caution seemed excessive. Schlieffen sketched a plan to outflank the French fortresses on the Franco-German border by advancing through Belgium. A large German force would swing around Paris and attack the French from the south. This "Memorandum for a War against France" was an early version of the Schlieffen Plan. It ignored Russia altogether.

The plan is based on the "battle of annihilation" doctrine taught by Clausewitz. In his writing, Schlieffen cited Sedan, where the Prussians encircled the French in 1870, as an example of the German way of warfare. Some historians cite Hannibal's victory at Cannae as an additional source of inspiration. This is less likely since Schlieffen's interest in ancient military history developed as a result of reading Hans Delbrück's ''History of the Art of War'' (1900), probably after he retired.

The plan is based on the "battle of annihilation" doctrine taught by Clausewitz. In his writing, Schlieffen cited Sedan, where the Prussians encircled French forces in 1870, as an example of the German way of warfare. Some historians cite Hannibal's victory at Cannae as an additional source of inspiration. This is less likely since Schlieffen's interest in ancient military history developed as a result of reading Hans Delbrück's ''History of the Art of War'' (1900), probably after he retired.

The most controversial feature of the plan was the proposed advance across Belgium, a nation whose neutrality was guaranteed by Britain and other countries. Kaiser Wilhelm II invited Belgium's King Leopold II to Berlin in January 1904 and offered him "the crown of Old Burgundy" if the Belgians consented to the plan. Leopold responded with the greatest astonishment.<ref name=tuchman1>Tuchman, Barbara, ''[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CR3QAgAAQBAJ&dq= The Guns of August]'' (1962). "2 “Let the Last Man on the Right Brush the Channel with His Sleeve”"</ref>

The most controversial feature of the plan was the proposed advance across Belgium, a nation whose neutrality was guaranteed by Britain and other countries. Kaiser Wilhelm II invited Belgium's King Leopold II to Berlin in January 1904 and offered him "the crown of Old Burgundy" if the Belgians consented to the plan. Leopold responded with the greatest astonishment.<ref name=tuchman1>Tuchman, Barbara, ''[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=CR3QAgAAQBAJ&dq= The Guns of August]'' (1962). "2 “Let the Last Man on the Right Brush the Channel with His Sleeve”"</ref>