Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-15
German Strdtegists Point Out
Military Weaknesses of us

Practically every nation that pre-,
tends to be a military power has its
board of military and naval strate
gists whose duties among other things
consist of planning campaigns against
all possible enemies, so that in times
of war, no unforeseen difficulties need
be encountered. Germany, being per.
haps the greatest military power in
the world, naturally has been very
active in planning possible campaigns
and has marked out for the guidance
of her generals the best plans of
campaigns against all countries, in.
GLIDING those with whom she is on
the most peaceable terms. 1t should
therefore occasion no offense to
Americans to know that in the
archives of the German military head
quarters are many details that would
be invaluable to the German nation
in case of war with the United
States. 1t is doubtless just as true
that American army officials have at
their fingers ends similar plans show
ing the best way to meet an attack
from Germany or even to conduct an
aggressive war against that country.
But it should be interesting to
Americans to know just what the
German strategists think regarding a
possible war with the United States.
A report on such a contingency, drawn
up by German military officer, was
made public in London, where the
article was used to promote senti-
ment in the United, States against
Germany 1t failedN of it's intention,
bat Sc %ho1o int IN IN
report in part follows:
Operations against the United
States of North America would have
to be conducted in different manner
from those against England. During
the last few years political friction
with that state, especially friction
arising from commercial causes, has
not been lacking, and the difficulties
that have arisen have mostly been
settled by our giving way. AS this
obliging attitude has it's limits, we
have to ask ourselves what force we
can possibly bring to bear in order to
meet the attacks of the United States
against our interests and to impose
our will. Our fleet will probably be
able to defeat the naval forces Of the
United States, which are distributed
over two oceans and over long dis
tances. But it would be mistake to
suppose that defeat of their fleet
will force the United States with it's
immense resources into concluding
peace.
"In view of the small number of
American merchantmen, in view Of
the small value of the American
colonies which are, not even pacified,
in view of the excellent Notifications
with which the great American sea-
ports are provided, and which cannot
be taken except with very heavy
losses, and in view of the large num-
Der of American seaports, all of which
we cannot blockade at the same time,
our fleet has no means to force that
opponent through successful maritime
operations to conclude a peace on our
terms.
"The possibility must be taken into
account that the feet of the United
States will at first not venture into
battle, but that it will withdraw into
fortified harbors, in order to wait for
favorable opportunity of achieving
minor successes. Therefore it is clear
that naval action alone will not be
decisive against the United States, but
that the combined action of navy and
army will be required Considering
the great extent o. the United States,
the conquest of the country by an
army of invasion is not possible. But
there is every reason to believe that
victorious enterprises on the Atlantic
coast, and the conquest of the most i'm
portant arteries through which imports
and exports pass, will create such an
unbearable state of affairs in the whole
country that the government will read
lily offer acceptable conditions in order
to obtain peace.
''If Germany begins preparing fleet
of transports and troops for landing
purposes at the moment when the bat
tie fleet streams out of our harbors we
may conclude that operations on
American soil can begin after about
four weeks, and it cannot be doubted
that the United States will not be able
to oppose to us within that time an
army equivalent to our own.
Ridicules Our Militia.
cat present the regular army of
the United States amounts to $4,000
men. oflwhom about 10000 could be
disposed of. Of course at least TO-
900 are required for watching the In
dian territories and for guarding the
Notifications on the sea coast. There
fore only about 10000 men of the