Changes

When the Japanese defeated the Russians in 1905, the kaiser expressed interest in going ahead with the plan, even without Belgian consent. Schlieffen had to confess that the German army was not ready for war. The French had recoilless artillery, which the Germans lacked.<ref>Röhl, p. 416.</ref> The plan contemplated a significantly larger army than the one Schlieffen commanded.<ref name=Gross>Gross, Gerhard, "There was a Schlieffen Plan", ''[https://books.google.fi/books?id=IVjCBAAAQBAJ&hl=fi&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Schlieffen Plan: International Perspectives on the German Strategy for World War I]'' (2014), pp. 100-101.</ref> Despite these admissions, Schlieffen and subsequent chiefs of staff continued to use the plan as a tool for obtaining weapons and more soldiers.<ref>Gross, pp. 103-104. Schlieffen's memorandum is, "A program for further expansion of the army and its mobilization," according to the archive's official description.</ref>

When the Japanese defeated the Russians in 1905, the kaiser expressed interest in going ahead with the plan, even without Belgian consent. Schlieffen had to confess that the German army was not ready for war. The French had recoilless artillery, which the Germans lacked.<ref>Röhl, p. 416.</ref> The plan contemplated a significantly larger army than the one Schlieffen commanded.<ref name=Gross>Gross, Gerhard, "There was a Schlieffen Plan", ''[https://books.google.fi/books?id=IVjCBAAAQBAJ&hl=fi&source=gbs_navlinks_s The Schlieffen Plan: International Perspectives on the German Strategy for World War I]'' (2014), pp. 100-101.</ref> Despite these admissions, Schlieffen and subsequent chiefs of staff continued to use the plan as a tool for obtaining weapons and more soldiers.<ref>Gross, pp. 103-104. Schlieffen's memorandum is, "A program for further expansion of the army and its mobilization," according to the archive's official description.</ref>

[[File:River Pregel landscape - panoramio.jpg|thumb|left|'''The beauty of the river Pregel was not enough to distract Schlieffen.''' "When an aide, at the end of an all-night staff ride in East Prussia, pointed out to him the beauty of the river Pregel sparkling in the rising sun, the General gave a brief, hard look and replied, “An unimportant obstacle.”" -- Barbara Tuchman.<ref name=tuchman1 />]]

[[File:River Pregel landscape - panoramio.jpg|thumb|left|'''The beauty of the river Pregel was not enough to distract Schlieffen.''' "When an aide, at the end of an all-night staff ride in East Prussia, pointed out to him the beauty of the river Pregel sparkling in the rising sun, the General gave a brief, hard look and replied, “An unimportant obstacle.”" -- Barbara Tuchman.<ref name=tuchman1 />]]

Schlieffen's practice of creating plans based on men and resources that Germany did not have puzzled many of his fellow officers.<ref name="Gross" /> An agent called Le Vengeur provided a copy of Schlieffen's plans to French intelligence in 1904. There is no record of any traitor being punished. The plan was no secret after January 1909, when a magazine article about it was published. The author of this article was presumably Schlieffen himself.<ref>''[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=M1fIlAmZKnsC&lpg=PA1917&vq=Lambling&pg=PA1917#v=onepage&q&f=true The Second Oldest Profession: Spies and Spying in the Twentieth Century]'', (2013).</ref> If Schlieffen's army lagged behind in terms of artillery, bluster was an inexpensive and effective equalizer. Despite the military advantage they enjoyed for much of this period, French war plans remained timidly defensive until 1911.

Schlieffen's practice of creating plans based on men and resources that Germany did not have puzzled many of his fellow officers.<ref name="Gross" /> An agent called Le Vengeur provided a copy of Schlieffen's plans to French intelligence in 1904. There is no record of any traitor being punished. The plan was no secret after January 1909, when a magazine article about it was published. The author of this anonymous article was presumably Schlieffen himself.<ref>''[https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=M1fIlAmZKnsC&lpg=PA1917&vq=Lambling&pg=PA1917#v=onepage&q&f=true The Second Oldest Profession: Spies and Spying in the Twentieth Century]'', (2013).</ref> If Schlieffen's army lagged behind in terms of artillery, bluster was an inexpensive and effective equalizer. Despite the military advantage they enjoyed for much of this period, French war plans remained timidly defensive until 1911.

==Use in World War I==

==Use in World War I==