Friedrich von Schlieffen was a German general and military strategist born on February 28, 1833. He is best known for developing the Schlieffen Plan, which aimed to quickly defeat France in the event of a two-front war against both France and Russia. His strategy emphasized rapid movement and the use of flanking maneuvers. The Schlieffen Plan was implemented at the start of World War I in 1914 but ultimately failed, leading to a prolonged stalemate on the Western Front. Schlieffen's ideas have had a lasting impact on military strategy and are studied in military academies around the world. He died on January 4, 1913.