Is the WW1 stalemate generals fault

Was the Four Years on the Western Front the Generals´ fault?

There are many different perspectives to the question above. I intend to look at some and say reasons why they are to blame and why some blame could be put on other people. Most people think they are to blame but most of them have not heard the arguments why they are not to blame. There are other aspects why the four years on the western front might not be the Generals´ fault. These are that they had not adapted their tactics to the new technology, the nature of trench warfare and bad understanding of the new technology so they were not used to their full potential ability. This coursework will present the arguments and reasons why they were to blame and the arguments and reasons why they were not to blame.

Schlieffen was definitely not to blame; it was not his fault he died. However, if he did not die before the war and his plan was followed the war would have ended in the first few months and there would have been no stalemate on the western front. However, he did die and you can blame the General taking his place for the stalemate, as he did not follow the plan, which lead to the stalemate. The General, who took his place

If any one General were to blame, it would be either Von Moltke or Haig. Von Moltke because he ruined the whole Schlieffen plan and therefore can be blamed for the stalemate. He also did not make his plans properly, as he did not take essential ports allowing Britain to come. Haig could be blamed for not doing anything efficiently or right as he made massive gaps in the enemy trenches with tanks and with mines but he did it all too fast so there were no troops to follow up and fill in the gaps so the Germans counter attacked and got all their trenches back. He would have won the war in 1915 if he followed up the gaps and moved more slowly.

Von Moltke was probably the general to blame for all of the trench warfare as he went east around Paris so it collided with the retreating French army and the BEF so the French sent loads of reserve soldiers and with the BEF pushed Germany back 60km. Then they kept on trying to outflank each other but they found themselves next to the sea. Neither side could advance therefore each side had to dig trenches to stop its enemy from advancing. Just that one thing (going around Paris the eastern way) led to a very long stalemate of trench warfare so if that did not happen there would have been no stalemate. Therefore, if any one General were to blame it would be Von Moltke however all the Generals contributed to the war not finishing quickly.

Trench warfare is always going to be long because of its nature to make the attacker always have the disadvantage and the defender to always have the advantage in most cases. This means that most attacks would be a failure so the tactics cannot always be at blame. An example of the defender having the advantage is the Somme. Haig used 27 divisions, 750,000 men whilst Germany used 16 divisions. Although the British had 11 more divisions attacking, Germany still came out on top of them. In the first day, they had 58,000 casualties. Haig continued to attack although they were being slaughtered.

Haig did not actually make the breakthrough although he takes most of the credit in this country; it was the French who actually did so this might mean that the arguments against Haig might unbalance the arguments for Haig. The French General who lead the final breakthrough battle was Ferdinand Foch. He cannot be blamed for the stalemate, as without him the allies would have lost the war. The Germans were advancing and the Generals did not know what to do as the Germans were gaining land qui

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