WWI: The Western Front

During the summer of 1914, World War one erupts. Germany is positioned right between its enemies, France and Russia. The border between Germany and France is called the Western front... ... while the border between Germany and Russia is called the Eastern front. So, Germany has to fight in two directions at the same time.

That's hard. But the German military has a plan. First, they intend to knock out France. Then, they aim to turn around and fight Russia, the large and outdated neighbour, that the Germans know needs a lot of time to gather and mobilise its soldiers. That's Germany's plan at least.

But what really happens? Well, France has strong defences along its border with Germany. But none of the French cannons are aimed at Belgium. So, Germany thinks that the easiest and fastest way to defeat France is to attack through Belgium. By taking that route, they aim to avoid losing too many soldiers, and also get the chance to attack the French from behind.

But... it turns out it wasn't that smart to attack Belgium. The Belgians have said they won't take part in the war, and that they won't take sides with anyone involved in it. They are neutral. Germany's attack leads to many other countries starting to view it as the bad guy, who must be defeated.

Apart from Germany losing respect, things start off well and according to plan. The Germans chase the fleeing French army and they are close to annihilating the French during the first weeks of the war. But Germany has one big problem, and they make one big mistake, and these turn everything around. The problem is that they haven't got enough cars and trucks. Even if Germany is one of the most developed nations in the world, 1914 is still a time when horses are more common than cars, even in the most modern of armies.

As the German army pushes further and deeper into France, it can't transport enough food, and new, rested, soldiers. The German soldiers, chasing their French enemies on foot, go for days without food, and pass out and fall down from exhaustion. This is the Germans' problem. The mistake... is that they chase the French soldiers south, instead of moving toward Paris...

so they are unprotected from an attack at their side. By a strategic attack, the French manage to retaliate on the exhausted Germans, who are no longer able to continue forward. After that defeat, Germany doesn't ever get much further into France. But neither does France manage to drive the Germans out, not even with the help of the British. The war on the Western front is in deadlock, for several years.

So, Germany fails in its plan to quickly knock out France and to then send all its troops toward Russia. On the Eastern front, on the other hand, Germany fares much better. After three years of war, and with the help of its ally, Austria - Hungary, Germany manages to defeat Russia. But that's another story...