Helmuth Johannes Ludwig von Moltke

See also: Helmuth von Moltke

Helmuth Johann Ludwig , count von Moltke , born the May 25th 1848 with Gersdorf (Mecklembourg), dead the June 18th 1916 with Berlin, was a German soldier .

He was the nephew of Helmuth Karl Bernhard von Moltke (1800-1891), large Prussian military chief.

During the Franco-German War of 1870, it was used with the 7th regiment as pomegranate and was quoted for bravery.

He was chief of staff of the German army of 1906 with 1914 where he applied the Plan Schlieffen. At the conclusion of the battle of the Marne, it was replaced with the command by Erich von Falkenhayn.

Anxious to become to it German hegemony on the continent of Europe, it is in favor, since its accession at the post of head of staff, of a preventive war against Russia and its enormous demographic and industrial potential. The crisis between the Austro-Hungarian empire and Serbia, which follows the assassination of the François-Ferdinand archduke, offers the occasion to him to apply its anti-Slavic policy. He and the remainder of the state German major arrive thus, under cover to help their Austrian ally against Serbia, to start the hostilities with Russia and its ally France, process which will lead to the First World War.

Von Moltke is today regarded by some as one of the persons in charge of the release of the First World War.

At the beginning of the invasion of France, on August 24th, 1914, 22nd, 122ème and 156ème regiments of Prussian infantry, under the orders of the General von Moltke, wildly massacred 86 inhabitants of the small town of Longuyon, in Lorraine, of which women and children.

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