71 - German Center of Gravity - Battle of France Part VII

71 - German Center of Gravity - Battle of France Part VII

Author: James Eling July 8, 2021 Duration: 29:33

This is the fourth part of our CoG analysis for the Battle of France series.

We discuss the Center of Gravity for Germany.  An interesting case as the Strategic Center of Gravity was unable to defeat France, so the Wehrmacht developed a highly risky operational Center of Gravity to defeat France in just 46 days - something that they could not achieve in all of WW1.

  • How did the German's temporally dislocate themselves at the Strategic level?
  • How could they avoid the nightmare of a two front war?
  • Would they succumb to the siren song of the Schlieffin Plan and a quick win with all the risk that entails?

Thank you to the British Army's Lessons Exploitation Centre for the assistance with getting the resources for this podcast series.

Check out the show notes for the podcast for all of the information that we cover in this episode as well as the images and other details that didn't make it into the podcast.

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Hosted by James Eling, The Principles of War-Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership is a deep dive into the timeless patterns of conflict. This isn't just a recitation of dates and troop movements. Instead, each episode takes a pivotal historic battle and examines it through the lens of enduring military principles, extracting practical insights on strategy, combined arms, and command. The discussions are structured to serve as a resource for professional military education, condensing complex analyses into focused, thirty-minute sessions. You'll hear how decisions made centuries ago still resonate within modern doctrine, offering lessons on leadership and tactical execution that are applicable far beyond the battlefield. The aim is to provide these lessons in a compelling narrative format, moving beyond dry after-action reports. For anyone fascinated by how history informs present-day thinking in governance, organizational leadership, and strategic planning, this podcast functions as a regular, thought-provoking seminar. Tune in to explore the fundamental concepts that have shaped outcomes throughout military history and continue to define success in high-stakes environments.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Principles of War - Lessons from Military History on Strategy, Tactics, Doctrine and Leadership.
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