Alfred von Schlieffen

Alfred von Schlieffen was a German military officer and strategist who served as Chief of the General Staff before World War I. He developed the Schlieffen Plan, a military strategy designed to quickly defeat France by invading through Belgium, then turning east to fight Russia. This plan aimed to avoid a prolonged two-front war for Germany. Although the plan was modified over time and not fully executed as intended, it significantly influenced early World War I battles and shaped military thinking about rapid, decisive operations and the importance of speed and timing in warfare.