The stalemate on the Western Front was a dilemma which was not foreseen by either the Allies (France and Britain) or Germany. The initial prediction of a quick decisive battle was swiftly diminished once the war began. Few of the devised plans during WWI were in fact successful. The Schlieffen plan of the Germans fell merely kilometres short of achieving its goal. Plan 17 of the French was vastly overestimated and did not contain the firepower expected to defeat the Germans in the battle of the frontiers. Although the British Expeditionary Force had valuable success against Germany at Mons, it did not make the impact which Britain expected. It was greatly reduced at the battle of the Ypres once the front was formed, and Britain was forced to send extra reinforcements. Yet, it was not only the execution of the plans that brought about their failure. Exterior factors resulted...