Moltke and the German Military Tradition

to 1871, and then of the Great General Staff (GGS) from 1871 to 1888, and architect of Germany's brilliant Wars of Unification (1864-71), remains the historical figure most responsible for shaping modern German military thought.[1] He not only established enduring paradigms for Prusso-German tactical, operational, and strategic thinking during his lifetime, but also shaped many of the political attitudes within the officer corps, particularly in his later years.[2] Numerous attempts at imitation, combined with the spate of hagiographic biographies that followed his death, attest to the reverence that the elder Moltke enjoyed within the officer corps.[3]His nephew, General Helmuth von Moltke (generally referred to as "the younger"), by way of contrast, exhibited indecisiveness and lack of resolve during the critical battle of the Marne in 1914, and consequently has suffered only ignominy in the hands of history.[4]By the end of his long career, the elder Moltke had significantly increased the capabilities, influence, and prestige of the GGS, developing and refining the staff-ride system, demanding the highest standards of professionalism from GGS officers, gaining "direct access" (Immediatvortrag) to the Kaiser in 1871, and obtaining direct control over the training program at the War Academy in 1872.In fact, the Prussian army and its general staff system had become the envy of and model for other armed forces both on the continent and beyond.Moltke's military philosophy and strategic approach have survived to inspire successive generations of soldiers.This essay offers an introduction to the great Chief of Staff's significance to the German military tradition

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