Mobilisation

Mobilization or Mobilisation is the act of assembling and making both Troops and supplies ready for War . The word ''mobilization'' was first used, in a military context, in order to describe the preparation of the Prussian Army during the 1850s and 1860s . Mobilization theories and techniques have continuously changed from then till today. Notably, before World War I and World War II , several countries developed intricate planes to achieve a fast and effective mobilization in case of war.

Mobilization can be complete, or partial, in which case only a part of the reserves is called up.

HISTORY

Mobilization before World War I

Mobilization became an issue with the introduction of conscription, and the introduction of the railways in the 19th Century. Mobilization institutionalised the mass levy of forces that was first introduced during the French Revolution , and that had changed the character of war. A number of technological and societal changes promoted the move towards a more organised way of assembling armies. These included the Telegraph , that allowed rapid spreading of orders, the railways, that allowed rapid concentration of troops, and conscription, which provided a trained reserve of soldiers available in the case of war.

Mobilization in World War I

and planned French counter-offensives]]
Intricate plans for mobilization contributed greatly to the beginning of World War I , since in 1914 , under the laws and customs of warfare then observed (not to mention the desire to avoid compromising national security), general mobilization of one nation's military forces was invariably considered an Act Of War by that country's likely enemies. As the proverb claims, no army has ever mobilized without going to war.

In 1914, the United Kingdom was the only Europe an Great Power without Conscription . The other Great Powers ( Austria-Hungary , France , Germany and Russia ) all relied on compulsory military service to supply each of their armies with the millions of men they believed they would need to win a major war. Each of the Great Powers could only afford to keep a fraction of these men in uniform during peacetime, the rest were Reservists with limited opportunities to train. Maneuvering formations of millions of men with limited military training required intricate plans which left no room for error, confusion or discretion after mobilization commenced. These plans were prepared under the assumption of Worst-case Scenario s.

For example, German military leaders did not plan to mobilize for war with Russia whilst assuming that France would not come to her ally's aid, or vice-versa. The Schlieffen Plan therefore dictated not only mobilization against both powers, but also the order of attack—France would be attacked first regardless of the diplomatic circumstances. To bypass the fortified Franco-German frontier, the German forces were to be ordered to march through Belgium. Whether or not Russia had committed the first provocation, the German plan called for the attack on Russia to take place only after France was defeated.

On July 28 , 1914 , Tsar Nicholas II of Russia ordered partial mobilization against Austria-Hungary . He ordered only partial mobilization because he was not at war with Germany , but Russian military plans at the time were based on the assumption that Russia would fight both Austria-Hungary and its ally Germany at the same time. Militarism was so strong that leaders of the military feared chaos if these plans were in any way changed, and so on July 29, 1914, the Tsar ordered full mobilization. For this reason Germany declared war on Russia.

Germany mobilized under the Schlieffen Plan , which assumed a two-front war with Russia and France . Like Russia, Germany decided to follow its two-front plans despite the one-front war. Germany declared war on France on August 3 , 1914 , one day after issuing an ultimatum to Belgium demanding the right of German troops to pass through as part of the planned pincer action of the military. Finally, Britain declared war on Germany for violating Belgian neutrality.

Thus the entangling alliances of the Triple Alliance and the Triple Entente directed the intricate plans for mobilization. This brought all of the Great Powers of Europe into the Great War without actually utilizing the provisions of either alliance.

Between the wars

Mobilization in World War II

On September 1 1939 Germany invaded Poland , which prompted both France and Britain to declare war on Germany. However, they were slow to mobilize, and by the time Poland had been overrun by the Axis powers, only minor operations had been carried out by the French at the Saar River .

Mobilization during the Cold War

Mobilization in recent years

ECONOMIC MOBILIZATION

REFERENCE

''State, society, and mobilization in Europe during the First World War'', edited by John Horne, Cambridge-New York : Cambridge University Press, 1997.

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Mobilisation