The Cult of the Offensive: Military Strategy before World War I

Harvest of Mars: History and War

“The offensive is the only way of insuring victory.”
- General August von Keim, 1912
In the episode, we take a look at the prevailing belief that the military offensive was far more effective than the defensive on the eve of the First World War. As World War I is infamous for the horrific slaughter of trench warfare in which troops had to "go over the top" and attack headlong against powerful fortification, this is a classic case to examine if the generals were blind or if their critics are using hindsight.