In "A Short History of World War I," James L. Stokesbury explores the significant impact of the Schlieffen Plan on the course of history. He suggests that had this military strategy been successful, it could have dramatically altered the trajectories of key figures in the war. The implication is that such a victory might have prevented Adolf Hitler from rising to power and Joseph Stalin from becoming a prominent political player, leaving them in far less influential roles.

This line of thought raises intriguing questions about the contingency of history and how specific military decisions can have far-reaching consequences. Stokesbury's provocative speculation underscores the delicate balance of events that shape leaders and their ideologies, hinting that the outcomes of World War I were pivotal not only for the immediate post-war period but also for the broader 20th century.