Final answer:
The Schlieffen Plan was Germany's strategic military blueprint for a swift attack on France through Belgium, then turning to fight Russia on the eastern front. The plan failed as Belgium's unexpected resistance and Russia's rapid mobilization led to a longer, trench-based conflict. The correct answer is c. a plan created to attack France to the west and Russia to the east.
Step-by-step explanation:
Germany's Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan was a strategic military concept developed by Germany in anticipation of a potential two-front war. This plan entailed a swift attack on France by routing through neutral Belgium, followed by a reallocation of forces to the eastern front against Russia. The reason behind this approach was the belief that Russia would require more time to mobilize its forces, giving Germany an opportunity to quickly defeat France and then turn its attention eastward. Thus, the core of the Schlieffen Plan was to ensure a quick victory in the west to prevent a prolonged dual-front conflict.
When World War I commenced in 1914, Germany implemented the Schlieffen Plan. Despite initial progress, German forces faced unexpected resistance from Belgium and a faster-than-anticipated Russian mobilization, necessitating adjustments to their military strategy. The Battle of Tannenberg was a significant early confrontation on the Eastern Front, where Germany achieved a tactical victory against Russia but at the expense of diverting troops from the Western Front. Ultimately, the Schlieffen Plan failed to achieve the decisive and rapid victory it had envisioned, leading to a protracted and grueling war of attrition typified by trench warfare.
In conclusion, the correct answer to the question 'What was Germany's Schlieffen Plan?' is c. a plan created to attack France to the west and Russia to the east.