Why were the Allies able to withstand German assaults?
1 Answer
WW1 or WW2? WW1 in the opening moves the Germans defeated themselves by changing the plan. WW2 the allies didn't until they began to understand mechanized warfare.
Explanation:
In WW1, Von Schlieffen's plan was for a strong force on the right wing with the best troops possible to march through Belgium and make long hook around Paris before the French could activate their reserves. The left wing of the Germans was the to absorb the French attacks and fall back drawing the French armies away from the decisive attack in the North. The French co-operated by attacking where Von Schlieffen wanted them too.
What went wrong was that as the plan was altered over time and as more troops became available more were sent the add to the left wing where politics insisted they go than to re-enforce the right. Also troops were sent to the Russian front where they were not needed, wanted and did not arrive in time to have an effect.
The weakened right wing could no longer loop around Paris instead it looped in front of Paris and was checked by troops attacking from Paris. The additional British Army, although small, slowed the advance and helped force it in front of Paris. Stalemate followed.
In WW2 The mechanized training and military philosophy of the German Army was superior to the Allies. The use of tanks in concentration and "Sturm" tactics as well as use of bombers as Artillery made a large difference. They were able to create a tempo of attack that the WW1 training of the allied armies could not keep up with. The Germans kept a superior combat efficiency though out the war. A comparison between the Allies and Germans had the Germans at a 26% superiority over the Allies and a 58% advantage over the Russians*.
What eventually weighted them down was the Allies superior numbers and greater amounts of equipment. They also had the advantages of the Ultra Secret and the manufacturing base of the USA. When they started to figure out Combined Arms Warfare the Allies started to give as good as they got.
*Dirty Little Secrets of World War II page 78 https://www.amazon.ca/Dirty-Little-Secrets-World-War/dp/0688122884
