Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-10-08
WHY FRANCE WAS BEATEN.
Emile Olivier Rehearses a Long List
Of Fatal Blunders.

NJ. Emile Olivier has been inter
sixth anniversary of his fall He Ie
fuses to admit that his ministry COM
mitted any blunders, and declares that
it was simply very unfortunate.
France" he said, was assured of
the alliance of Austria and Italy, and
this alliance we should have had, ex
cept for the disaster and the unpardon-
able mistake Of Sedan. Yes; we had
their support even after Reichshofen.
so certain were these alliances that
the plan of campaign for which the
emperor has been so much blamed
the parceling out, that is, of the army
corps along the frontier-was imposed
upon us by the Austrian military staff
Our troops were even disposed accord
ing TO the plans of the Archduke AL
bert, that we might the more easily
support him when he should arrive at
the head of the army
But there was something better
than this, for, even if the alliances
failed us, even if we were abandoned
by all, we were to be victorious, for
the first victory would have sufficed
to decide the final hesitation Of Austria
and Italy, then inundated by the
support that Russia gave to Germany.
1--WE have every chance of beating
Prussia. The German mobilization
could not be completed until Aug. 8.
But we were ready on July 80 We had
100000 soldiers at Metz, ready to
march. The first mistake was not
marching, and this was the emperor's
fault. Leboeuf desired it-he who
has been illuminated. Our infantry
was superior to that of Germany at this
moment; we had only to cross. the
Sarre, and we should have found op-
posing us only the Eighth corps, still
in formation.
eve might have come down upon it
IKE a torrent and crushed the first
Prussian corps Issuing from the defiles
of Kaiserstein- The emperor did not
wish it. At Saarbrucken he had not
been able to stay on his horse, and
Rad fallen, faintfng, into the arms Of
his dfd-de-camp. He suffered from an
internal disease. He was unable to COM
manG and would not allow another to
command in his stead"
According to- M. Olivier, the second
bIunder, heroic one, was committed
by MacMahon on Aug. 6, in accepting
battle at Worth without assuring him
self of the movements of F'ai1ly and
Douay. Although MacMahon killed or
wounded as many Germans as COM
posed his own army corps, France be-
gan the campaign by a defeat Still,
it was not too late to repair the evil.
But a third bTunder was committed,
and the person guilty of this, accord
ing to NJ. Olivier, was F'roissard, who
became frightened at FForbach and re-
tired, whf1e Bazaine said to himself as
he hesitated whether to go to- the res
cue: '"The maftre G'ecole is in the
trick Of it; leave him to extricate him
self alone
The fourth biander, which M. Olli-
VTer describes as a crime, was the
action of Bazaine at Metz on the 18th.
10th ana 18th, at Borny, Gravelotte,
and Saint Privat.
Finally, the fifth b1under was the
cabinet council, presided over by the
empress, and the responsibility for this
NJ. Olivier aseribes to the Connie de
Palfkao and his colleagues. He accuses
the empress OF having infexibly re-
fused, even against the wish Of the
emperor; MaelMahone and the young.
prince, to give her consent to an act
which was the most obvious of all
auties at the moment-nanely to re-
call the army of Cfaalons to Paris and
to organize under it's protection the
ar:ning of the nation By this mistaK
en- notion Of dynastie interest tie
debacle of Sedan became possible, and,
NJ. Olivier quotes the emperor as say
ing to- MacMahon. "Puis gull en- est
ainsi, allons nous faire easser la tetev'
II ,codon FTiponc