Count Alfred Yon Schlieffen, the revered chief of the German General Staff, was convinced that Germany, surrounded by powerful enemies, would have to fight outnumbered and win. Schlieffen believed the key to victory could be discovered in the Battle of Cannae, Hannibal's tactical masterpiece. Therefore, Schlieffen ordered the historical section of the General Staff to produce a set of "Cannae Studies" that would demonstrate that the principle of double envelopment practised by Hannibal at Cannae was the master key to victory in battle.
Schlieffen's operational concept collapsed in World War I in the face of logistic realities. But it was his spiritual heritage which, at the beginning of the World War 2, that brought to the German Army its great success.

Content and list of maps

THE BATTLE AT CANNAE

FREDERICK THE GREAT AND NAPOLEON

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1866
The Prussian and Austrian Concentration
The Campaign of 1866 in Germany
The Campaign in Bohemia of 1866 until the evening of June 30th
Königgratz

THE CAMPAIGN OF 1870-71
From the concentration of the armies to the retreat of the French across the Moselle
The advance of the Germans to and across the Moselle. The Battles of Colombey-Nouilly, and Mars la Tour
The Battle of Gravelotte-St. Privat
The Battles of Beaumont and Sedan

MAPS:
Map 1: BATTLE OF CANNAE, 2 August, 216 B.C., General Map.

Map 2: BATTLE OF CANNAE, 2 August, 216 B.C., Position before the Battle, and Cavalry Engagement.

Map 3: BATTLE OF CANNAE, 2 August, 216 B.C., Collision of the two Armies.

Map 4: BATTLE OF LEUTHEN, 5 December, 1757

Map 5: BATTLE OF ZORNDORF, Movements from 23 to 25 August, 1758

Map 6: BATTLE OF ZORNDORF, 25 August, 1758

Map 7: BATTLE OF ZORNDORF, 25 August, 1758

Map 8: BATTLE OF ZORNDORF, 25 August, 1758

Map 9: BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF, 12 August, 1759

Map 10: BATTLE OF KUNERSDORF, 12 August, 1759

Map 11: CAMPAIGN IN ITALY, 1800

Map 12: CAMPAIGN IN GERMANY, 1805

Map 13: ADVANCE ON JENA, 7 to 13 October, 1806

Map 14: BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ, 2 December, 1805

Map 15: BATTLE OF AUSTERLITZ, 2 December, 1805

Map 16: CAMPAIGN OF PRUSSIAN-EYLAU, January, 1807

Map 17: CAMPAIGN OF PRUSSIAN-EYLAU, 4 to 8 February, 1807

Map 18: CAMPAIGN OF REGENSBURG, April, 1908, Situation on 17 April, 1809

Map 19: CAMPAIGN OF REGENSBURG, Situation on 18 April, and First Movements on 19 April.

Map 20: CAMPAIGN OF REGENSBURG, Situation in the Evening of 19 April

Map 21: CAMPAIGN OF REGENSBURG, Movements on 20 April

Map 22: CAMPAIGN OF REGENSBURG, Movements on 21 April, and Situation that Evening

Map 23: CAMPAIGN OF REGENSBURG, Situation at Noon, 22 April

Map 24: CAMPAIGN OF REGENSBURG, Situation on the Evening of 22 April

Map 25: BATTLE OF TORGAU, 3 November, 1760

Map 26: CAMPAIGN OF FRIEDLAND-TILSIT, June, 1807

Map 27: MOVEMENTS FROM THE MIDDLE OF AUGUST TO THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 1813

Map 28: MOVEMENTS FROM THE END OF SEPTEMBER, 1813, UNTIL THE BATTLE OF LEIPZIG.

Map 29: BATTLE OF LIEGNITZ, 15 August, 1760

Map 30: CAMPAIGN IN THE NETHERLANDS, 1815.

Map 31: BATTLE OF LIGNY, 16 June, 1815

Map 32: BATTLE OF LIGNY, 16 June, 1815

Map 33: BATTLE OF BELLE ALLIANCE (WATERLOO), 18 June, 1815

Map 34: GENERAL MAP OF THE AUSTRO-PRUSSIAN WAR, 1866

Map 35: SITUATION ON 20 JUNE, 1866, AND MOLTKE'S PLAN

Map 36: SITUATION ON 21 JUNE, 1866

Map 37: SITUATION ON 22 JUNE, 1866

Map 38: SITUATION ON 23 JUNE, 1866

Map 39: SITUATION ON 25 JUNE, 1866

Map 40: SITUATION ON 26 JUNE, 1866

Map 41: ENGAGEMENT AT LANGENSALZA, 27 June, 1866

Map 42: SITUATION ON THE EVENING OF 27 JUNE, 1866

Map 43: OPERATIONS TO INCLUDE 27 JUNE, 1866.

Map 44: SCHEME FOR THE PRUSSIAN ADVANCE BASED ON MOLTKE'S PLAN OF CAMPAIGN

Map 45: ENGAGEMENT AT NACHOD, 27 JUNE

Map 46: ENGAGEMENT AT TRAUTENAU, 27 JUNE

Map 47: ENGAGEMENT AT SKALITZ, 28 JUNE

Map 48: ENGAGEMENT AT BURKERSDORF, 28 JUNE

Map 49: OPERATIONS FROM 28 JUNE TO THE NIGHT OF 30 JUNE

Map 50: ENGAGEMENT AT SCHWEINSCHADEL, 29 JUNE

Map 51: ENGAGEMENT AT GITSCHIN, 29 JUNE.