The Great War — Season 1, Episode 2: Germany in Two-Front War and the Schlieffen-Plan - Week 2

Episode synopsis

Austria-Hungary starts the bombardment of Belgrade. What follows is a deployment race of armies between all major powers in Europe. Nobody wants to be unprepared in case of an attack. Germany is implementing the Schlieffen-Plan. The idea is to avoid a two front war by conquering Paris via Belgium. After that the full attention would be diverted to Russia. One thing gets clear in the first days at the Western Front: This war is going to be different - this was modern warfare.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1The Outbreak of WWI - How Europe Spiraled Into the GREAT WAR - Week 1
• E3To Arms! The Deployment of Troops - Week 3
• E4A New War with Old Generals – Carnage on the Western Front - Week 4
• E5The Rape of Belgium and the Battle of Tannenberg - Week 5
• E6Plans Are Doomed to Fail - The Battle of Galicia - Week 6
• E7Taxi to the Front – The First Battle of the Marne - Week 7
• E8Welcome to the Dirt – The Beginning of Trench Warfare - Week 8
• E9The Russian War Machine and the Race to the Sea - Week 9
• E10Dying in the Mud - Autumn Is Taking Its Toll - Week 10
• E11Back for Christmas? - The Illusion of a Short War - Week 11
• E12Learning From Napoleon – Russia, The Underestimated Enemy - Week 12
• E13A War to End All Wars - Home Front Propaganda - Week 13