The Washington herald., 1911-07-21

4
''Kaiser maneuver" this fall should take
place on the scenes made famous by
three great chieftains: Gustaf Adolf OF
Sweden, during the thirty years war OF
the reformation: Frederick the Great, In
the seven years war with Empress
Maria Theresa Of Austria, and Napoleon.
after he had subdued Prussia, namely.
from Luetzen, in Silesia, to the vicinity
OF Berlin. The Kaiser himself is to
command the forces defending his capi-
tai city
No doubt that historic lesson will car
~ great weight. but let It not be for
gotten that none of the armies which
fought on those battlefelds In days long
gone by numbered all told as one
wing Of the 100000 men who are
to participate at this years ma
neuvers. Frederick had worn-out
army, though he won with them signal
victories over the Russians at Zorndorf;
Napoleon, when obliged to fight in that
section Cat Leipzig had a force decimated
and discouraged by the disastrous Rus
sian campaign. and Gustaf Adolf. lead
ing only 5000 men, met his death on
that soil after routing the armies of
Austria, then in the heyday Of her
glory, and her Catholic allies under the
supreme command of Wallenstein, a
great historic drama, vividly depicted
by Schiller in his Wallenstein trilogy.
AS usual all great, powers have been
invited to be present at the German
war play, made doubly interesting this
time owing to the association of the
places assigned for the 'combats'' with
former battles in the MARX Branden-
burg and Silesia that have greatly add
ed to the glory of Prussia. Especially
the field of Leuthen, where Frederick
the Great. with 5000 men. weakened
and worn out by forced marches to meet
the Russians, had to face about and
meet $1,000 we'll fed and confident
Austrians after another Of those quick
moves for which Frederick Justly was
celebrated. and which he never could have
accomplished but for the loyalty of his
troops and the fealty of his officers.
There is a shaft at the intersection of
two country roads on that famous battle
field. marking the spot where the des-
perate king. knowing that his salvation
and the lives of his troops depended upon
playing IVA banque" (blufD alone, made
use of the ''phalanx'' attack made ia
nous by Caesar in his battle with the
Gauls.
The Prussian King we'll knew that
once the early morning fog would lift and
Marshal Daun and his aids would be able
to see how small his force in reality was,
his fate would be sealed. Frederick, be-
fore daybreak. called the trusty Zie-
then and the "old Dessauer" (the Prince
NJ AMI holt hnfh
'Haudegen," tried in many a battle, to
his tent for a whispered consultation.
And when the sun rose, what was II
that the astounded Austrians beheld?
Miles upon miles Of onmarching Prus-
slams. in glistening uniforms. with flying
colors and with bands playing. and as
far as their fieldglasses would carry. the
same spectacle.
But what they could not see was that
that force of apparently myriads Of
fine appearing men, in reality was but
three to six men deen-often less-that
baggage and commissary horses had been |
given the appearance of drawing can
mons, until the field for miles presented |
the gathering of an army that far out |
the large Austrian force.
That was what Frederick had counted !
upon. He surprised the overconfident |
Daun. And that also was the opportune |
for the carrying out OF his |
desperate plan. In quick steps his Gren-
adiers formed themselves into a 'V"
shaped wedge and before the spell
bound Austrian generals could get over
their surprise, and to give their orders.
that wedge had struck the very center
1f the Austrian camp. Canonading we'll |