He also mocked their way of ruling. "You English, are mad, mad, mad as March hares." .
On August 2nd 1914, the Schlieffen Plan was finally put into operation when the German Army invaded Luxembourg and Belgium. However, the Germans were held up by the Belgian Army and were shocked by the implausible Russian Army's advance into East Prussia. The Germans were also surprised by the British response. Britain sent an Expeditionary Force known as the B.E.F to help vitalize the Belgians. The cohesive attacks of the B.E.F and the Belgians resulted in an obstruction to the Schlieffen Plan. The effectiveness of the Allies ability to slow the German attack can be traced to the fact that the German Army moved as one single mass and was thus easily located and attacked upon. Ultimately, the German forces overwhelmed the Belgians and advanced into France where they were met with French resistance. After being pushed back gradually towards Paris, the French Forces retreated to a line along the River Seine, south-east of Paris and over 60 km from the River Marne. The French defense was fortified by the remainder of the B.E.F. The Germans attacked robustly but were unable to achieve their objective of breaking the Allied lines. .
On 9th September, General Helmuth von Moltke, the German Commander in Chief, ordered the retreat of the German forces. The draw back of the Germans signified the failure of the Schlieffen Plan. The German hopes of a swift and decisive victory had been frustrated and therefore the war turned into one of attrition. It is argued that, if the Germans had attained their objectives and defeated France, they would have routed Russia and won the war. In failing to do so and ultimately failing to carry out the Schlieffen Plan the Germans had to resort to trench warfare. .
The British Blockade was the most incisive attack on the Germans by the Allies. It was drafted by the Secretary of the Royal Navy, Winston Churchill and was intended to starve the Germans into submission.
