Germany's transport investment could reveal its intended military direction. Railway lines and unusually large stations serving small settlements made the likely axis of the Schlieffen Plan easier to infer before World War I. Interwar autobahns offered a similar clue about preparations for rapid movement. Germany still lacked enough lorries and relied heavily on horses for logistics. Roads could support military mobility only if vehicles and supply capacity were available to use them.
Notable Point · 4:25-5:37
Transport networks reveal plans but cannot replace logistics
A comparison of railways and autobahns shows how infrastructure can advertise strategic intentions while vehicle shortages still limit operational mobility.