Command

British

• Mistrusted their Territorials just as the French mistrusted their Reserves (Tuchman 196).
• Wanted to keep their relatively small force intact for later in the war. Kitchener was the proponent of this strategy.

Kitchener

French

• The French used centralized command. Generals were given specific orders and checked up on frequently.
• They believed in a concept called "elan" or fighting spirit. They were always committed to the offensive.
• Did not trust their reserve units. Kept them in the back.
• Headquarters (GQG) was located in the middle of the the other five army headquarters.

Joffre

• "In his opinion it was not for a geralissimo to explain but to give orders. It was not for a general to think but to carry out orders" (Tuchman 183).
• "to Joffre what counted in the immense chaos of war was not the plan but the energy and verve with which it was carried out. Victory he believed would come not out of the best plan but out of the strongest will" (Tuchman 183).
• "the whole duty of generals was to be lions in action, and dogs in obedience" (Tuchman 209)

German

• The Germans used directive command. Generals were trusted to make decisions in the field and were left mostly on their own.
• Integrated reserve units with regular army. Used them for offensive maneuvers.

Moltke

Sources