Norwich bulletin., 1917-08-01
THE WAR PRIMER By National Geographic Society.
Psychology Of the German Soldier.

Stanley Washburn, the war core spondent who is a t the present time serving on the staff of the American Commission to Russia, headed by Eli | hu Root analyses the attitude of mind | Of the German soldier and his idea of what he is fighting for in communi- cation to the National Geographic So- ciety, a part of which the society is sues the following bulletin of its
 war geography series:
 Tt is difficult for Americans to re- alize the discipline and lack of in tellectuaI initiative which exists in the German army and among the German people
 Ever since he became Emperor
 Wilhelm has been insulting his extra ordinary beliefs into his army and into
 hs people, until today we have psy- chology in the Teuton Empire which will probably make it possible for the military autocracy to continue the war to a far greater length than would be conceivable in any other country in the world.
 '1n the early nbeties the Kaiser sounded the keyndEe of his own char acter and point of view in a. speech he
 made to regiment in norther Ger many, when he said to them: would rather see my forty-five million Prussians dead on the field of battle than to see one foot of the soil taken in 1870 given back to France
 And several years later, in address ing a body of recruits in Potsdam. the Kaiser is reported to have said: Now that you have donned my uniform it must be your pleasure and your duty to follow my wishes. realizing that rule Germany by the direct will of God. and you must willingly obey my commands. even though I require you to shoot down your own fathers and brothers in response to my dictates.
 With such ideas as these being in stilled into the German army and Ger man people year by year. we must not believe that at the first sign of re- verse they will forget the teachings of forty years and demand consummation of immediate peace; and we must like wise realize that revolution in Ger any at this time has far less opportun- ity for success, for there is every would fire upon their own people with the same subservience to their officers that they show in all their military operations.
 the west are of vast importance to the situation and must unquestionably de- moralize the Germans to certain ex- tent, 1 see no reason to believe that recent events in France have created a condition from which we may ex- pect any immediate result S looking towards peace.
 When we read that the French and English took 33,000 prisoners and 330 guns in the month of April, we must, of course, rejoice; but we must at the same time guard against optimism which leads to the belief that our on- Iy duty in this war is financial and economic.
 These losses of the Germans, while encouraging, are in reality but a drop in the bucket. It might be we'll to remember that Brusilloff, in a little over two months operation on the southwestern front of Russia during the summer of 1914. took 450,o0o prts- oners and 496 guns; and yet this 4ar greater loss to the enemy. as one now realizes, has exerted but transitory in- on the world situation.
 "In order fully to appreciate the Teuton strength, it is necessary to give the Germans the credit which is their due. One must, I think. con- tSi1zr broadly their whole point of view and realize that the power of the Central Empire. and no one at this time will question it's strength. is due to the German virtues and no to Ger man vices.
 Now that the bitterness against the Germans is so intense, 1t is difficult to wipe away the prejudices one feels and give them the benefit of the eX tracrdfnary values which they have as a people; but if we ynderestimate these virtues. we fail to Understand the causes which have made 1t possible for the Germans to do what they have done.
 Much as I disapprove of the Ger