) ▁but ▁joint ▁arrang ements ▁had ▁been ▁made ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Mor oc can ▁Cris is ▁the ▁French ▁had ▁been ▁told ▁that ▁six ▁divisions ▁could ▁be ▁expected ▁to ▁operate ▁around ▁Ma ube uge . ▁ ▁Sch lie ffen – M olt ke ▁Plan ▁ ▁German ▁strategy ▁had ▁given ▁priority ▁to ▁off ensive ▁operations ▁against ▁France ▁and ▁a ▁def ensive ▁post ure ▁against ▁Russia ▁since ▁ 1 8 9 1 . ▁German ▁planning ▁was ▁determined ▁by ▁numerical ▁inferior ity , ▁the ▁speed ▁of ▁mobil isation ▁and ▁concentration ▁and ▁the ▁effect ▁of ▁the ▁vast ▁increase ▁of ▁the ▁power ▁of ▁modern ▁weapons . ▁Front al ▁attacks ▁were ▁expected ▁to ▁be ▁cost ly ▁and ▁prot ract ed , ▁leading ▁to ▁limited ▁success , ▁particularly ▁after ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁Rus si ans ▁modern ised ▁their ▁fort ifications ▁on ▁the ▁front iers ▁with ▁Germany . ▁Alfred ▁von ▁Sch lie ffen , ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Imperial ▁German ▁General ▁Staff , ▁Ober ste ▁He eres leitung ▁( O HL ) ▁from ▁ ▁de vised ▁plans ▁to ▁e va de ▁the ▁French ▁front ier ▁fort ifications ▁with ▁an ▁off ensive ▁on ▁the ▁fl ank , ▁which ▁would ▁have ▁a ▁local ▁numerical ▁superior ity ▁and ▁obtain ▁rapidly ▁a ▁decis ive ▁victory . ▁By ▁ 1 9 0 6 ▁such ▁a ▁man oe uv re ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁pass ▁through ▁neutral ▁Belg ium ▁and ▁threaten ▁Paris ▁from ▁the ▁north . ▁Hel m uth ▁von ▁Mol t ke ▁the ▁Young er ▁succeeded ▁Sch lie ffen ▁in ▁ 1