Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-05-07
IMPORTANT REVELATION
NoItke's Letter Advising nm '"''
diate Attack ON France


A Berlin dispatch to the Lonuoh ga"
ard saws: A work has just appeared AZ
per,ir entitled "Noltke's Military Co''e
srondence." which contains matter Vi
much interest in connection win '"s
,,s,ro-prussian war. 1t IS compiieu
-, .ho official documents Of the war
Of 1896. and is edited by the hls'ea,V :,
Department OF the German 1ensla' steey
tn hook comprises 3li documents Cniens
assaes and letters written by Field MAT
shaI NoItke I'm the period from lsoo 10
tseS The gem OF the collection Is ie'
80 oddressed TO Prince Bismarck, ua'eN
Perrin August s, 1866. IL runs as loi,u" ~
.T take the liberty most respecuul'S 70
communicate TO your EXcellency snol'
exnose OF our present military pOs'',o
as regards France, and l may ntst ie
mark that. according 70 our S"iSui" 80 80
france cannot collect an army Oh wv,
-, re,dv for war between Metz anu
S,rasbourg I'm less than twenty-siN uay .
II ia manifestly of the utmost lhpO
tance to come to a final settlement W.
Austria as soon as possible, IN o'uS'
have our hands free In the hast an -,
west II our neighbors Should a',elnPs =.
rob ms Of part OF the fruits Oh N'0'0' '0D'
campaign. - &. not "a in
",rbe main thing, therefore, Is not 10 III
H.. -, conaitions Of subordinate impor-
ta'roo &, the Prague negotiations but 10
- tho troops at present in Bohemla anu
1loravfa at our disposal as soon as po''i
bIe THE most probable posslpil.y
-. France NAV demand cessions Oh 'ei
rttorv incompatible with Prussias hls'oi =,
aat tost OF uniting and protecting an
C,1rn,a,v.-a task toward the accomplish
-, az which the most important step
has inst been taken. In view Vi SuS
nresumption on Frances part wal WIZ
no popular all over non-Austtlah Hei-
many. A.. a., olii-
ance and be concluded win the oousI
German States against France by siVlnB
~ - ereater mart. or even the whole
~ the territory occupied by us south OF
tho Main. In this case the new alliailce
would embrace not only North Germany
bu, oil Germany. The South German
contlngents could be assembled at Mann
helm. I'm their present state OF IeauI-
ness for war; and in their present al
rangement. In eight TO ten days aooue
so 600 strong. In the same time our army
ON the Main and the reserve corps woulu
concentrate round Mayence W'VV suons'
the former by marching the latter -
rail. or by marching, according 10 CICuiil
stances. II remains for the present az
Nuremberg. or is now orueteu "
at once to Wurzburg. ....,,t,,
.France cannot possibly, IN an equdly
sbort time. assemble an offensive army
strong enough to cross the Rhine at any
noint i'm the teeth OF these first accuinu-
iattons of troops. and when peace Is con-
cIrded with Austria II IS merely a ques-
ton of time how quickly an army iuhy d
match for that OF the French can De con
centrated I'm the West. The chances Oh
The French empire I'm a war against VIC
torious Prussia and the whole German
rot,on seem so unfavorable just at pres
emf that IL will not be Nehtureu upoNi
without an understanding win Aus,i 10
as TO the continuation or me coiii'le -
which. indeed, would prevent the eone ....
ION Of ueace. IL is, therefore, necessary
90 take such a contingency into account
rom the military point OF View
count Moltke then gives minute de-
scrtntion OF the military measures heces
sary in that case, and concludes as loi-
lows: g., ,,.ia.r,
"On the whole, 1t is, therefore, evlaent
that a simultaneous war against Aus'i Ia
a., ber present weakness and france mus u
"a ,,,a,5ed more on the defensive principle
t,,t a. is not TO be shrunken from, IN view
~ the great ends 10 be gained. Even an /,
,ssne not successful at all points should
ralIy all Germany round Prussia for al
time. whereas the voluntary cession' even
81 the smallest piece OF German terri
torv would render Prussia's future
leadership impossible. II it prove praeu-
cable to conclude peace with Austria IN
the next few days, France viii certainly
abstain from making any claims IN the
Immediate future, for she could not choose
a more unfavorable moment Tor war thdil
the present. Afterward, the main thihs
would be 10 consolidate Norm Ger man may
o,,,c.I,, in order to meet future dangers
fror the West and East with adequate
force" ..,,,,.
This letter Of Count Moltke's is certainly
one Of the most important historical docu'
ments that has recently seen the hgh''