1914 Germans studying the ACW

[Dave Wilma]

I was just listening to a podcast by an author who covered the Battle of the Marne in 1914. One point he makes is that the Germans looked at the ACW, but discounted all its lessons because "it was a war fought by militias." The German General Staff figured they knew how to plan a war with professional armies. They ignored all the lessons about logistics. As a great American philosopher said, "Doh!"

 

[wilber6150]

They ran into the same problems that Grant did trying to defeat trench works..You are doomed to repeat history unless you learn from it...

 

[Lefty]

Those same (one generation removed) arrogant Prussian blowhards scoffed at Sheridan's musings during the Franco-Prussian War when Lil' Phil, while in France circa 1871-72, serving as an observer for the US Military, declared that he could've easily broken through the supposed Prussian "Iron Ring" surrounding Metz if only he had the old VI Corps and a Divison of Federal Cavalry at his disposal.

"Militia", my ***.

 

[CSA Expat]

A bit of arrogance on part of the Germans? Naw! Even though Phil Sheridan is not one of favorite Union generals, I like his sentiment.

 

[Missouri 1st]

It's too cliche to say that "history not learned is history repeated..." That leaves out the fact that technology had not given them (WWI armies) the tools to overcome the trenches. The defense was superior to the offense at this point. It happens in history, hence the warrior reigned supreme until he met the legionaire, the castle until it met the cannon, the ship of the line until it met the ironclad, the battleship until it met the aircraft, etc. Maneuver was the best chance to overcome the enemy until the Battle of the Frontiers was decided. A solid line of trenches from the Channel to Switzerland stopped maneuver. Hence the rest of WWI up to the introduction of tanks, ground support aircraft, storm troops with light machine guns and small unit infiltration tactics, etc.

Many German officers were in fact quite familiar with the ACW, Rommel being one of the most familiar. They studied all wars, the ACW being but one in a 1000 years of warfare relative to the study with applicable lessons. They were more tied to the Franco-Prussian War that made much more use of General Staffs, Reserve/Militia mobilization* (they relied on these so I question the initial post in this), telegraph and railways years past the ACW.

*The Landwehr (militia/conscripts) were essential in defeating Napoleon after the retreat from Russia in the massive battles of Leipzig and Lutzen/Bautzen. It became a legend and part of the National rallying point in wartime. The Landwehr was an essential part of German planning and central to the national spirit of defiance.

I take issue with the podcasts' assertion.