THE GERMAN GENERAL STAFF IN WORLD WAR I, by Captain Larry D.
Bruns, USA, 128 pages.
This study reviews the problems of the German General Staff
during the First World War in an attempt to highlight
successes and understand failures. The investigation focuses
on the traditional staff functions of intelligence,
operations, logistics and command, control and
communications. To obtain a comparison, two epic battles on
the Western Front were used, the Battle of the Marne in 1914
and the first spring offensive, Michael, in 1918.
This study revealed that the German General Staff did an
excellent job in staff thought, planning and execution.
However, in the area of command, control and communications
they were not as capable. The defeat at the Marne and the
eventual failure of Michael were the result of command,
control and communications problems which prevented the
German General Staff from placing needed forces at a
decisive point and time to obtain a strategic victory. These
command, control and communications problems provid a
constant underlying theme for the defeat of German forces in
the First World War. The United States Army faces many of
the same command, control, and communications problems faced
by the German General Staff almost seventy years ago. This
study highlights the German errors so that the United States
Army will not make the same mistakes.
