Excellent presentation, as I noted unaddressed questions point by point I soon found you addressing them! Bravo. As noted, the Schlieffen plan placed enormous demands on the German infantry in particular. And as the General Staff kept hedging their bets they needed more formations some of which were filled by calling up reservists to make up the numbers. However, not all of these formations were given time for the training necessary to make them current on the latest doctrine and tactics. British and French officers in the west noted some of these units in the attack still using the Prussian tactics of 1870. Your reference to sunk costs is also on the mark as the war progressed as every nation adjusted their victory demands to reflect the sunk costs instead of the anticipated increased cost generated by the new objectives.
Excellent presentation, as I noted unaddressed questions point by point I soon found you addressing them! Bravo. As noted, the Schlieffen plan placed enormous demands on the German infantry in particular. And as the General Staff kept hedging their bets they needed more formations some of which were filled by calling up reservists to make up the numbers. However, not all of these formations were given time for the training necessary to make them current on the latest doctrine and tactics. British and French officers in the west noted some of these units in the attack still using the Prussian tactics of 1870. Your reference to sunk costs is also on the mark as the war progressed as every nation adjusted their victory demands to reflect the sunk costs instead of the anticipated increased cost generated by the new objectives.