The Washington herald., 1916-04-23
German Staff Admits Defeat
at Verdun, While Assault
Is in Progress, and Begins
to Prepare New Campaign.
By JOHN L. BALDERsToN.
tCopyriEht, lsuJ


French armies on the Meuse, what will
the Germans do next?
There are only two courses open to
the Kaiser's strategists, when they
admit to the German people. as they
have TO themselves. the impossibility
Of breaking through the French or
British on the west front They can
strike in the east, or they can assume
the defensive on all fronts and walt
the simultaneous offensive west cast
and south, which everybody knows is
the trump card of the allies, to be
played when Alexieff, Joffre, Haig and
Cadorna are ready.
Close students Of the war believe
there Is no doubt that the Germans
will adopt the former method of pro-
cedure and make another desperate
effort to overwhslm the rearmed hosts
OF Russia. The German general staff,
these men say, can do nothing else.
The great attack on Russia is. eX-
pected at the end OF April or the be-
ginning Of May. Because Of the an
nual Russian thaw, during which the
country IS q mass OF mud and military
movement almost impossible, there is
no opportunity before then for fight
ing on heavy scale.
Terdun Attack n CompromIse.
From a high military authority
have obtained the following opinion
concerning the German campaign OF
1915:
During the early winter the Ger
man general stan realized the prepa-
rations being made for a simultans-
Gus attack against Germany on all
the fronts. The German tradition
is to always take the offensive, never
to await the pleasure OF the enemy.
and even without this tradition it
was obviously the best strategy to
strike as soon as possible to break up
the combined movement which Ger
many, fears.
We can imagine the heated debates
that must have taken place between the
officers who demanded an attack on
France in Overwhelming force and those
who Contended that the western front
could not be broken and that the cam
paign against Russia must be continued.
The decision arrived at by the kaiser
and Gen. Won Fslkenhayn, his chief of
stan, was a brilliant compromise. The
first pert Of the plan was decision to
mass all the German troops who could be
moved from the east front against the
French. to transport all the Austro-
German heavy artillery to the west front,
and then to break through at Verdun.
launch great strokes against Nancy and
over the AiSne i'm the region of Scissors
at Paris, and II possible to crush France
and force her to withdraw from the war.
Terdun Effort Well Timed.
We see now why this movement was
planned to commence in February, a
month not favorable to the attacking
force. The Germans tried their great
coup against Ferdun, but they did not
hazard everything on the blow. The
other strokes in the west we know were
hrvk A-IF
because the initial part of the plan, the
breaking Of the line at Verdun. was de-
feated by Petain and his men.
The whole procedure in the west shows
that some at least of the German high
command had no faith in the attack on
VerdUn and what was to follow. We may
surmise that Hindenburg and Mackensen,
who are known to have been at imperial
headquarters at Mexieres when the at
tack commenced. disspproved of it, or at
least thought its success doubtful though
We cannot know headquarters secrets un-
til after the war.
The move was made in late FerUary
for this reason: Il was known that the
Russian armies were not, at that time,
ready for an offensive. It was conse-
quent!y possible to strip the east front
Of most OF the German troops and prac-
tiCally all the heavy guns. As soon as
the Russians realized what had hap
pened, they feverishly attempted to take
advantage Of the opportunity, but It was
nearly a month before they were able
10 attack, and the spring thaw set in
few days later. condemning both sides
to temporary inactivity. The wonderful
German ability to calculate exactly the
time required for their enemies to do
something was again proved, as against
the Serbians in November, when a dif-
ference OF three days would have per-
70 arhg to FDar, ~ Ill.
Saloni<i and change the whole course
Of the campaign.
Shift to East Under Way.
The German attack against Verdun
failed. Immediately after the decision
was reached at great headquarters that
the attempt to beat the French was hone
less, the movement OF guns, munitions
and troops TO the east front began again,
That move, we know, Is now under way.
You will now see the diabolical In
genuity Of Falkenhsyn's double-barrlled
plan. He first had his try at our line
In the west, and failed. That failure,
many good Judges thought at that time,
signihed the end Of Germany's offensive
power. But all the time FaIkenhayn
had a plan in reserve, to try IL the frst
did not succeed.
The weather conditions in Russia
made 1t possible for the Germans. to
spend the latter part Of March and all or
nearly all Of April preparing another
great stroke against the Russians without
any danger Of being themselves seriously
attacked That Is what they are doing
now. Many divisions Of troops which
were concentrated in the west, ready for
the great converging movements that
were to follow the fall Of. Verdun. have
been moved to the east front again with
out firing a shot"
Have not the Germans lost frfghtfuIIv
at Vendun, and will not those losses male
a great offensive in the east unlikely 10
succeed?" asked.
Ferdun ssps Both Sides.
''Verdun," the strategist replied "wss
great German defeat, material and
moral But its effects should NOT be
exaggerated, nor should we forget that
the Germans attained certain minor oh
jects. OF these the most important was
the creation Of a temporary shortage in
the French supply of heavy shell. / do
not think this should have been ad-
mttted. but may mention it since Lord
Northcline was permitted to do So Ths
French lost>hesvily in men. certainly not
less than so.ooo,' and probably 16,oOO. 4
estimate that the French, aside from
their classes of young soldiers, have no
reserves to keep the existing units at full
strength"
BY making great demands on the
French she'll supply, suppose tha Gar