Hans Delbruck was an academic, critic, and product of Imperial Germany. Fellow military theorists often describe Delbruck as the first modern military historian and credit him with bringing a critical lens to battlefield history and inspiring current military scholarship. While Delbruck does not have the same level of name recognition as Clausewitz and other figures of military theory, his major concepts of “Sachkritik,” and annihilation and attrition have left a lasting impact on the study and formulation of modern military strategy and theory.
Contemporaries best knew Delbruck for his concept of Sachkritik, or the application of scientific method to the military records of the past. Delbruck contended that literal interpretations of ancient
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He divided strategy into two basic forms – annihilation (maneuver) and attrition (also translated in some texts as exhaustion.) This was a controversial position because at the same time Delbruck was laying out his ideas, the cult of the offensive reigned supreme. In Delbruck’s construct, the objective of maneuver was decisive battle in order to completely defeat the enemy. The strategy of attrition, however, allowed that alternative options existed to achieve a stated or desired end. Each situation required an examination of those contextual factors which might make it more advantageous to seek or avoid battle or settle for a negotiated peace.
Delbruck applied his own theory of attrition to Imperial Germany’s position in World War I. Following the Battle of the Marne in 1914, Delbruck assessed that Germany’s best strategy called for a negotiated peace. He predicted that the U.S. would enter the conflict if Germany appeared too aggressive. Germany, who would be unable to sustain the resources to fight to the desired outcome, would gain a better position through negotiation than it could through ongoing battle. This proved to be
we meet our four main characters, Paul Baumer, Stanislaus Katczinsky Muller, and Tjaden. In this book we see how these men are devastated by Germany's infantry, as it rips apart their humanity, leaving them as empty shells deprived of their souls. As we continue to see how long they continue to progress as individuals, we see them devastated by all-out war. Chapter two introduces us to Corporal Himmelstoss, the power-hungry man put in charge of training the soldiers, who treats them with inhumane cruelty and complete disrespect. As they are able to escape his evil tyranny, they are confronted with the death of their friend Franz Kemmerich, who dies at the end of chapter two, leaves them with the only concern of who will get his boots.
The German government: Instable and “You take it from me, we are losing the war because we can salute too well” ( Remarque 40 ) . This quotation from the book All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque stands in representation for the symbol of questioning the decisions of a government. This book shows how a government may not be making decisions regarding war that are in the best interests of the people. The German government was in a time of struggle and despair during the times of World War I (1912-1918). The instability and false trustworthiness of the German government in the time period of 1910-1930 fed the feelings and themes from the book All Quiet on the Western Front.
And Germany would not have that much of an advantage if they did invade. Source A can teach you a lot about the war and the opinion people had about war, and other
Also the Treaty made Germany unwillingly pay reparations for the damage they caused during the war,
It is almost universally understood that the winners of war often write history. With this concept comes the acceptance that history can and is construed in a way that benefits the winner and can hide the truth. In George Robert Elford’s book, Devil’s Guard, Elford accounts for the perspective of a former Waffen SS officer who joined the French Foreign Legion upon the conclusion of World War 2. Throughout this story, many obstacles, adventures, and morals are explored that communicate various perceptions on what war (particularly the war in Vietnam during the French occupation) was like. The book conveys various arguments such as the exploration of unconventional warfare and the struggle of decisive action when the chain of command has
“What is essential, in the French view, is that the German government must be compelled by diplomatic pressure first and by stronger pressure if need be, to withdraw from the Rhineland” (NYT 3). After growing the military, Hitler eventually broke the Treaty of Versailles and interfered in the Rhineland, placing military control over the region. France desperately argued that Germany should leave either by negotiation or force. France originally let it slide, but held it against Germany in the back of their minds. When Hitler invaded Poland, they were finally forced to declare war which led to a six-year-long global conflict that destroyed many countries'
The article from Hitler states that “the restoration of the frontiers of 1914 could be achieved only by blood... No nation can remove this hand from its throat except by the sword.” Germany lost many thing due to the Treaty, leading them to look up to Hitler for power and leadership. Hitler believes that war is the only way to regain their losses.
Additionally, Germany did not account for a response from Great Britain. Germany did not have the logisitical flexibility to address the entrance of these actors into their plan. The German Economy was not strong enough to support the extensiveness of the plan. The biggest implication of the plan is that in its adoption “Germany encouraged the newly emerged system of competing associates and guaranteed that a war between any two states would embroil them” (Kagan, 167), and that the need to fight two fronts and the invasion of Belgium, German mobilization would guarantee a European
So in an attempt to avoid future conflict of the same scale, the Allies allowed the Central Powers no participation in the treaty’s negotiations, stripped Germany of many of its territories, blamed it for the war, and imposed substantial reparation payments. However, although the Allies were hopeful that these measures would ensure peace in the future, the Versailles Treaty has been cited as a
Although president Woodrow Wilson made a pledge to stay neutral, Germany’s acts of terror against the British and the U.S. forced the United States to retaliate. The U.S. played a major roll in the success of the Allied Powers. Some believe if it wasn’t for the United States joining the war, the Central
To him, the war represented newfound uncertainty of ridiculous social norms and thus a complete remodeling of those rules and strident challenging of Positivistic thinking. Entering the war, Germany was a confident nation full of “noble” young Nationalists ready to die for their country, but the realities of the war soon dispelled that veil of Positivistic thinking. Prior thinking states that it is noble to die for your country, but Remarque is deeply critical of this belief. There is no reason to die for the cause – he calls for soldiers to break the social norm of unwaveringly fighting for your country. The war dashed the confidence of young soldiers and shocked them into realizing that what they perceived before was not so certain.
They felt vulnerable to everyone. France is right next to Germany, and refuse to let them have any military forces at the border. (Doc A) Germany is even more defenseless and they have to obey by what France tells them. Since
Finally, Germany wasn 't going to give up. They wanted to win this thing. President Wilson said "Victory would mean peace forced upon the loser. " Meaning, if the Allies won the war, then Germany would have to face the consequences, which would end the war (deaths,
“... We shall maintain our position is that we realize that without power, without a strong army and a strong navy, there shall be no welfare for us.” (Document C). Germany used their sense of nationalism to strive as a country, and wanted to act as the active aggressor to reap the most benefits. “Do not intend to be the bondsmen of humanity... In the coming century, the German nation will be either the hammer or the anvil.”
“When the peace treaty is signed, the war isn’t over” (Marlantes). When the fighting stopped on the battlefront of World War I many leaders of different countries gathered together in Paris. They were there to discuss the Treaty of Versailles that would ensure permanent peace. The treaty that was created was extremely unfair to Germany. The Treaty of Versailles was far from perfect, but some of the biggest faults were forcing Germany to take the blame for the whole war, demanding they give up all of their colonies and decrease the size of their military, and paying reparations to the Allies.