So what caused the prolonged and bloody stalemate of World War I that an estimated 35 million plus casualties occurred? It could be argued that new military technology changed the dynamics of the battlefield, ignoring Clausewitz principle on war. Clausewitz saw defensive war stronger than offensive war, thereby the inability to quickly adapt offensive war to new defensive technology and tactics led to the stalemate of World War I. This essay will look at Clausewitz principles on war as it pertains to offensive and defensive war. How new defensive weaponry began the transformation of warfare in World War I. Finally, defensive tactics used in trench warfare limited the mobility of the offensive attack.
II
Prior to World War I the European …show more content…
Clausewitz saw offensive war must have a purpose of conquest whereas defensive war must serve a principle of preservation. Clausewitz stressed the importance of momentum. Thus, the conquest must be carried through as quickly as possible and not in stages but by one continuous advance.2 Clausewitz aim of war was to defeat the enemy either by the destruction of his Army, seizure of his capital or delivering an effective blow against his ally.3 The Germans offensive objective was to destroy the French Army and take its capital. The French offensive objective was to destroy the German Army and seize territory. These offensive objectives followed more of a Clausewitz offensive theory to defeating an …show more content…
The offensive strategy should never underestimate defensive strategy for Clausewitz stated "that the superiority of the defensive is very great, far greater than appears at first sight."4 Since both the Germans and French failed in their attempts to achieve a decisive victory early on in the war they both had to rely more on a defensive form of warfare. Clausewitz says that "the defensive form of warfare is intrinsically stronger than the offensive."5 When a military force is in preservation mode of warfare they are preserving one's own forces from defeat or they are holding the ground they have gained. Once a force finds itself in preservation mode of warfare or finds itself in a position of weakness they should wait until its forces have strengthen so they can achieve their objective, then abandon their defensive position and move into offense and prepare for attack again. While both sides failed in their initial offensive strategy they ignored the defensive orientated technology. This failure by the Germans and French to appreciate the effectiveness of defense gave way to the lack of continuity between changes in technology and strategy resulting in a misguided assessment of the use of defensive weaponry. While both sides had to regroup to develop new offensive strategies and tactics and in doing so built strong defensive fortifications in which Clausewitz says that "this type of resistance can