18. The Schlieffen Plan: Cannae in World War I
The influence of Cannae reached into the twentieth century, inspiring the Schlieffen Plan—Germany’s strategy for a swift victory in World War I. German planners hoped to execute a massive envelopment, sweeping through Belgium to encircle French forces, echoing Hannibal’s double envelopment. Although the plan faltered in practice, its roots in Cannae’s legacy were unmistakable.
