The plan was devised by Alfred von Schlieffen (hence the name) , when he devised it he was German Army Chief of Staff, in 1905, the plan was German which they would use to avoid a war on two fronts (Russia on the Eastern front, and Britain + France on the Western front). Schlieffen thought that France needed to be defeated as soon as possible in the event of a European War. If war did break out, Schlieffen …showed first 75 words of 989 total…

…showed last 75 words of 989 total…by Schlieffen's successor Moltke but to little effect. Germany was not prepared for a two front war militarily or economically. This did not only affect the first part of the war, it affected the war long term. After the failure of the Schlieffen Plan the German Commander, Von Moltke, told the Kaiser 'Your Majesty, we have lost the war.' It was to take four years before Von Moltke was to be proved right though,