From 1891 to 1905, Alfred von Schlieffen sat at the head of the German Imperial Staff of Generals. His most important contribution during this tenure was the Schlieffen Plan. This plan was devised to avoid a two front war in the event that France and Russia posed a threat to the German Empire at the same time. The time occurred during the First World War. By the beginning of the war, von Schlieffen was retired and Helmuth von Moltke adjusted the plan due to significant concerns over Russia-s strength and Dutch neutrality. These modifications would prove fatal for the German empire.

By removing troops from the French offensive and placing them on defensive perimeters, Moltke severely weakened the lightening strike capabilities of the German army. This led to the eventual stalemate on that war front. Moltke also changed the original attack route through the Netherlands to a more elongated path through Belgium. This allowed the Netherlands to remain neutral with a full railroad system but required a defensive force of Germans to be stationed in case that changed. Also, the German invasion of Belgium provided the necessary fodder for propagandists to sway public opinion in England and the United States.