Complete the text “German forces in Belgium and France”, using words from the box. Use a dictionary to help you if necessary.

a) aggravated, b) assistance, c) converge, d) defensive, e) denied, f) diverted, g) encircle, h) flank, i) foreseen, j) General Staff, k) halted, l) incapacitated, m) insufficient, n) modified, o) rail-heads, p) signified

At the outbreak of the First World War, the German army carried out a 1) ….. version of the Schlieffen Plan, designed to quickly attack France through neutral Belgium before turning southwards to 2) ….. the French army on the German border. The plan called for the right 3) ….. of the German advance to 4) ….. on Paris and initially, the Germans were successful, particularly in the Battle of the Frontiers (14–24 August). By 12 September, the French with5)….. from the British forces 6) …..the German advan-
ce east of Paris at the First Battle of the Marne (5–12 September). The last days of this battle 7)….. the end of mobile warfare in the west. The French offensive into Germany launched on 7 August with the Battle of Mulhouse had limited success.
In the east, only one Field Army defended East Prussia and when Russia attacked
in this region it 8) ….. German forces intended for the Western Front. Germany defeated Russia in a series of battles collectively known as the First Battle of Tannenberg (17 August – 2 September), but this diversion 9) ….. problems of 10) ….. speed of advance from 11) ….. not 12) ….. by the German 13) ….. . The Central Powers were 14) ….. a quick victory and forced to fight a war on two fronts. The German army had fought its way into a good 15) ….. position inside France and had permanently 16) ….. 230,000 more French and British troops than it had lost itself. Despite this, communications problems and questionable command decisions cost Germany the chance of early victory.

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