Schlieffen Plan

The Schlieffen Plan, prepared by German Chief of Staff General Alfred von Schlieffen (1833-1913) in 1905, was a secret plan of attack by German armed forces against France, should the two countries go to war. The objective was to quickly defeat France in the west to avoid facing Russia in the east at the same time. The plan required German forces to quickly move through the neutral Low Countries, avoiding the main French fortifications on the Franco-German border. The plan was to attack the French lines from the rear, capture Paris, and gain a surrender in six weeks.