Schlieffen Plan

The Schlieffen Plan was developed by German General Alfred von Schlieffen at the beginning of the 20th century. The plan was developed in consideration of the possibility that Germany might find itself in a two-front war with France to the west and Russia to the east. Ideally, German troops would mobilize the quickest, vanquish France by enveloping the French Army near Paris, and then face Russia. The plan was modified by Helmuth von Moltke the Younger after Schlieffen retired, who implemented it during World War I. During the first month, the plan seemed on verge of success, until a successful French counter-offensive on the Marne River brought the Germans to a halt.

The plan and its implementation both remain controversial. While Motlke's modifications certainly played their part in its failure, the plan did also presume a slow Russian mobilization (Russia mobilized much faster than expected in 1914), and also called for the violation of the neutrality of Belgium (which in turn guaranteed Britain would be an enemy in 1914).

The Schlieffen Plan was designed in implemented in all Harry Turtledove works with a Point of Divergence after 1914. It is immediately germain to the following works.

Schlieffen Plan in Curious Notions
In one alternate visited by Crosstime Traffic, the Russian mobilization of 1914 was indeed as slow as the Schlieffen Plan had presumed it would be. Therefore, Germany was able to defeat France, Britain and Russia in short order, Germany's first step to global domination by the mid-20th century.

Schlieffen Plan in Southern Victory
The genesis of the Schlieffen Plan came during Alfred von Schlieffen's time as a military attache in the United States. While observing the Second Mexican War, Schlieffen became curious about Robert E. Lee's 1862 invasion of Pennsylvania, the campaign that ultimately won the War of Secession for the Confederate States. Schlieffen was particularly intrigued by the fact that Lee hadn't directly targeted Philadelphia, but seemed to appoach it indirectly, which effectively bottlenecked Union troops.