The Franco Prussian War: Plans? What Plans?

So there we have the Germans, expecting an invasion from France any minute. Moltke started positioning his three armies according to his detailed plan.

The King’s nephew Frederick Charles (“Mr. Cautious”) was marching south from the Rhine to Saarbrucken through the mountains. Steinmetz (“Mr. Crazy”) was marching to Saarbrucken from the west. Separated from these two armies by 50 miles of mountains we had the Crown Prince (“Mr. Crabby”) out in the East.

Moltke wanted to attack the French army right away, but Mr. Crabby said he wasn’t ready. So Moltke told Mr. Crazy (Steinmetz) to move a little southeast. Steinmetz refused; instead he took his army straight into the path of the 2nd Army, led by Mr. Cautious (Frederick Charles).

OK, that didn’t go well, obviously. “It was becoming clear,” said Howard a little grumpily, “that Moltke’s plans were more likely to be disrupted by his own subordinates than by the French.”

Moltke’s original plan to encircle the French was now in the trash can, but he still had a chance to try again if only Steinmetz did as he was told this time.

So now two overlapping German armies were marching on Saarbrucken. They get to the Saarbrucken heights — no French. They march a mile south and there the enemy is, based at the Spicheren high ground and strung out to hell and back.

The French must be retreating, the Germans decided, and they tossed aside Moltke’s detailed plans. The first German general on the scene attacked the French at Spicheren.

At first that was okay with the French general Frossard. He had a nice ridge to sit on. But then the day wore on, and nobody came to help him, and every German within earshot was marching to the sound of the guns. By 7:30 p.m., Frossard realized he had to get out and retreat south through the night.

Obviously, the French didn't feel good about this. And the Germans now camped on the battlelfield felt like the victors. But Howard points out that it wasn't the 4,500 Prussians who died in front of the ridge who chased Frossard off ; it was a half-hearted attack on the rear. The Prussians could have driven the French back without shedding much blood at all.

"But the Prussian generals were true disciples of Clausewitz," Howard said sadly. "For them, battle was its own justification."

I don't necessarily agree with this. I don't think the Prussians were all that dumb. I say they really were the victors even though Moltke's grand strategy was screwed up. This battle totally rattled the French commanders and they never really recovered. And really, isn't that what the Prussians wanted? I mean, they weren't dying for a ridge and some trees.

Maybe throwing a wrench into the French command was worth the cost. Clause himself said that armies weren't made to march around the countryside avoiding battle — they were there to force some decisive action.

Sorry, Howard. I gotta go wth Clause with this one