Why Did Germany Lose The First World War

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary triggered World War One, yet many historians believe Germany is to blame for the conflict. Tensions between nations had been building up prior to the war. It was inevitable that a war would break out as a result of the drive for superiority. The majority of European countries formed coalitions, drawing Germany and its allies, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and the Ottoman Empire, into the war. Germany's economy was bankrupt by the end of the war. The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28, 1919, ended the war between Germany and its allies. Germany was more at risk of losing the war because it was the cause of it. The failure of the Schlieffen plan, nationalism and the allies' skilful use of attrition warfare were the main reasons for Germany's defeat in World War One.

The Schlieffen plan's failure made Germany's plan to fight a two-front war very impossible. The Schlieffen Plan was a strategic strategy for victory while fighting on two fronts devised by Alfred Von Schlieffen and refined by von Moltke (who was in charge of this operation). Germany, under Kaiser Wilhelm II, waged a two-front war on the Western Front against the French, British, Belgians, and Americans, while also battling the Russians on the Eastern Front, until the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk terminated Russia's participation in the war on March 3, 1918. Germany lacked the manpower to send troops to both fronts, and food supplies were scarce. The failure of the Schlieffen plan was also attributed to Belgian opposition and Britain's entry into the war. When France invaded Belgium on August 4, 1914, Britain declared war on them. Germany was concerned because it did not anticipate Britain, the vast empire, to join. Furthermore, the pace with which the Russians mobilised was unanticipated, and they were able to take land in Eastern Prussia sooner than projected. Because of the humiliation caused by the defeat of the Russo-Japanese war, Russia did not pose a significant threat to Germany and its allies at the start of the war. Russia, on the other hand, quickly gained land and moved closer to Berlin.

Finally, three elements contributed to Germany's defeat during World War I: the Schlieffen plan, nationalism, and the practice of attrition warfare. Because the Germans were unable to fight on two fronts, they were unable to fully participate in the remainder of the war due to their early withdrawal. The Central Powers' populace was disappointed and anxious as battles were lost, which contradicted their ideas from the start of the war. This had a significant impact on nationalism, particularly in Germany. Finally, Germany was unable to cope with the blockade and the entrance of the United States of America. This exhausted the German forces to the point that they were unable to continue. If these conditions had not been there, Germany and its allies might have been able to win the Great War.

References

Bitesize, 2022. How did World War One end and what happened next?. [online] BBC Bitesize. Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/topics/zqhyb9q/articles/zkb86v4> [Accessed 1 April 2022].

Theholocaustexplained, 2022. Why did Germany lose? – The Holocaust Explained: Designed for schools. [online] Theholocaustexplained.org. Available at: <https://www.theholocaustexplained.org/life-in-nazi-occupied-europe/the-second-world-war/why-did-germany-lose/> [Accessed 1 April 2022].

 Author: Anthony Pratt

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