Erich von falkenhayn biography of william

German general (–)

Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn (11 September – 8 April ) was a German general who was the second Chief of the German General Staff of the First World War from September until 29 August Falkenhayn replaced General Helmuth von Moltke the Younger after his invasion of France was stopped at the First Battle of the Marne and was in turn removed on 29 August after the failure of his offensive strategy in the west at the Battle of Verdun, the opening of the Battle of the Somme, the Brusilov Offensive and the Romanian entry into the war.

Having planned to win the war before , the German army was reduced to hanging on.

Erich von falkenhayn biography of william

Falkenhayn was given important field commands in Romania and Syria. His reputation as a war leader was attacked in Germany during and after the war, especially by the faction supporting Field Marshal Paul von Hindenburg.

Falkenhayn held that Germany could not win the war by a decisive battle but would have to reach a