Introduction
Thesis Statement
Reasons/points
(essay map)
The stalemate was the result of the failure of Allied and German war plans, and was characterised by a war of attrition, fought mainly in the trenches. This system of trenches was known as the Western front, and came about due to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan to encircle Paris and defeat France before turning to Russia. Also, the Germans were not driven back sufficiently and could therefore establish permanent trenches. Finally, the stalemate continued to the defensive nature of trench warfare and the inability to ‘break through’.

Point
The failure of the Schlieffen Plan contributed to the development of the stalemate by the rush Germany was in to defeat and gain territorial advantage over France and the changes made to the original plan giving the Allies an opportunity to gain ground and a slight advantage and began the war of attrition.

The Schlieffen plan, a German strategy for the encirclement and subsequent defeat of France, was ineffective in that it created the stalemate on the Western Front, and started the war of attrition.

Explain
The Schlieffen Plan was devised by count Alfred von Schlieffen and modified by General von Moltke, who re-allocated manpower from the planned Belgian offensive to the Eastern Front to counter Russian mobilisation, and also to Alsace and Lorraine to counter the French offensive, Plan 17.

Elaborate
The Schlieffen Plan aimed to capture France in six weeks