Oberste Heeresleitung
Encyclopedia
The Oberste Heeresleitung or OHL (Supreme Army Command) was Germany
's highest echelon of command of the German Army
(Heer
) in World War I
, while the Navy
was led by the Seekriegsleitung
or SKL (Naval Warfare Command).
The law made Kaiser
Wilhelm II the Supreme Commander of the German Army, but the generals at the OHL made decisions largely on their own. At the end of the war they had practically superseded the government as the center of political power. Co-ordination was poor at the beginning of the war between the OHL and the SKL: for instance the Imperial navy
did not know about the Schlieffen plan
, which planned an attack on France
through Belgium
.
At the start of the First World War
, the Chief of the OHL was Helmuth von Moltke. He then had to resign after the failure of the Marne offensive
. The Prussian War minister Erich von Falkenhayn
was appointed as his successor. He advocated a "war of attrition" (Abnutzungsschlacht) which showed its limitations in the Battle of Verdun
.
and Ludendorff
after August 1916.
In August 1916, Ludendorff had been appointed Generalquartiermeister, deputy chief of the OHL under Hindenburg, with whom he had worked in the same relative position in East Prussia
, securing notably the victories of Tannenberg
and the Masurian Lakes.
Ludendorff was the chief manager of the German war effort throughout this time, with Hindenburg his pliant front man.
The third OHL made political and strategic mistakes. While the public wanted peace, the OHL sought victory at all costs, ensuring for instance safe passage for Lenin
and his accomplices from Switzerland
to Russia. It negotiated the peace of Brest-Litovsk only to be able to win on the Western front.
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
's highest echelon of command of the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
(Heer
Heer
Heer is German for "army". Generally, its use as "army" is not restricted to any particular country, so "das britische Heer" would mean "the British army".However, more specifically it can refer to:*An army of Germany:...
) in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, while the Navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
was led by the Seekriegsleitung
Seekriegsleitung
The Seekriegsleitung or SKL was the high command of the Kaiserliche Marine and the Kriegsmarine of Germany during the World Wars.It led planning and execution of naval combat and directed the distribution of naval forces...
or SKL (Naval Warfare Command).
The law made Kaiser
Kaiser
Kaiser is the German title meaning "Emperor", with Kaiserin being the female equivalent, "Empress". Like the Russian Czar it is directly derived from the Latin Emperors' title of Caesar, which in turn is derived from the personal name of a branch of the gens Julia, to which Gaius Julius Caesar,...
Wilhelm II the Supreme Commander of the German Army, but the generals at the OHL made decisions largely on their own. At the end of the war they had practically superseded the government as the center of political power. Co-ordination was poor at the beginning of the war between the OHL and the SKL: for instance the Imperial navy
Kaiserliche Marine
The Imperial German Navy was the German Navy created at the time of the formation of the German Empire. It existed between 1871 and 1919, growing out of the small Prussian Navy and Norddeutsche Bundesmarine, which primarily had the mission of coastal defense. Kaiser Wilhelm II greatly expanded...
did not know about the Schlieffen plan
Schlieffen Plan
The Schlieffen Plan was the German General Staff's early 20th century overall strategic plan for victory in a possible future war in which the German Empire might find itself fighting on two fronts: France to the west and Russia to the east...
, which planned an attack on France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
through Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
.
At the start of the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, the Chief of the OHL was Helmuth von Moltke. He then had to resign after the failure of the Marne offensive
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
. The Prussian War minister Erich von Falkenhayn
Erich von Falkenhayn
Erich von Falkenhayn was a German soldier and Chief of the General Staff during World War I. He became a military writer after World War I.-Early life:...
was appointed as his successor. He advocated a "war of attrition" (Abnutzungsschlacht) which showed its limitations in the Battle of Verdun
Battle of Verdun
The Battle of Verdun was one of the major battles during the First World War on the Western Front. It was fought between the German and French armies, from 21 February – 18 December 1916, on hilly terrain north of the city of Verdun-sur-Meuse in north-eastern France...
.
The third OHL
The Third supreme command is the name sometimes given to the OHL when led by HindenburgPaul von Hindenburg
Paul Ludwig Hans Anton von Beneckendorff und von Hindenburg , known universally as Paul von Hindenburg was a Prussian-German field marshal, statesman, and politician, and served as the second President of Germany from 1925 to 1934....
and Ludendorff
Erich Ludendorff
Erich Friedrich Wilhelm Ludendorff was a German general, victor of Liège and of the Battle of Tannenberg...
after August 1916.
In August 1916, Ludendorff had been appointed Generalquartiermeister, deputy chief of the OHL under Hindenburg, with whom he had worked in the same relative position in East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, securing notably the victories of Tannenberg
Battle of Tannenberg (1914)
The Battle of Tannenberg was an engagement between the Russian Empire and the German Empire in the first days of World War I. It was fought by the Russian First and Second Armies against the German Eighth Army between 23 August and 30 August 1914. The battle resulted in the almost complete...
and the Masurian Lakes.
Ludendorff was the chief manager of the German war effort throughout this time, with Hindenburg his pliant front man.
The third OHL made political and strategic mistakes. While the public wanted peace, the OHL sought victory at all costs, ensuring for instance safe passage for Lenin
Vladimir Lenin
Vladimir Ilyich Lenin was a Russian Marxist revolutionary and communist politician who led the October Revolution of 1917. As leader of the Bolsheviks, he headed the Soviet state during its initial years , as it fought to establish control of Russia in the Russian Civil War and worked to create a...
and his accomplices from Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
to Russia. It negotiated the peace of Brest-Litovsk only to be able to win on the Western front.