Omaha daily bee., 1917-07-29
BRITISH VIEW OF
THIRD YEAR OF WAR
General Maurice Says Entrance
of United States Makes
Victory for Entente Al
lies Certain.

llCS SCI tdlHs
London, July 28.-America's en-
trance into the war is the most inn
portant development of the third year
of the great conflict in the opinion of
Major General Frederick B. Maurice,
chief director of military operations
at the British war office, as expressed
in an interview in which he reviewed
the main events of the third year and
summed up the present situation.
To-day, Major General Maurice
said, Germany, whose whole military
gospel was to prosecute a vigorous
offensive, is reduced to "a pitiful state
of military heiplessness in which it
is barely able to hang on" in the hope
that its submarines will force the
people OF the entente powers to de-
mani peace at a time when Germany
has he big pawns" with which to
make a bargain. 49,.
Speaking from the military point
of view" said Major General Maurice,
"the greatest event Of the third year
of the war is the fact that the Ameri-
can people joined us. Up to the pres
ent, France and Russia always have
been able to say to their people that
the English power had not yet been
developed to the fullest extent and
that, when England's full weight was
in the field, the pressure on the
French and Russians would be some
what lessened. That still is true, but
only to limited extent. Even Eng
land is getting near the point where
II must say that it cannot extend its
work much further in France. Mean.
while. the strain in the continental
countries is becoming greater and
the French are in real need OF more
and more support. ~
"Of course, the same is true and
probably in far greater measure in
enemy quarters. @
Last Reserves Will Win.
"But the whole lesson of the three
years of warfare is to emphasize the
military maxim that the man with the
last reserves is going to win, and we
still have got the whole power of the
United States to draw upon. The
United States is today the general re-
serve OF the entente. With that re-
serve intact, we may look the fourth
year in the. face With entire conn.,
dence.
Germany has made the same mis-
take with regard to the United States,
as three years ago it made with re-
gard to England. 1t argued, I'VE do
not believe England will come in but,
it does come in, it is not a military
nation and cannot become military
power, soon enough to play part in
this war;" We proved that theory
wrong as you will prove its theories
regarding the United States wrong.
"What was it that led Germany
into war with the United Statese 1t
found it could not win on land. 1t
was necessary to try U-boat warfare.
will defeat England and bring the
reign OF the entente to an end. We do
not believe the United States will
come in but, if it does, it is an un-
military nation, has no army, cannot
create one for many months, perhaps
years, certainly cannot become a mil
. itary factor soon enough to play any
part in this war. ..''.'
"That reasoning sounds unbeliev-
able to us, but a drowning man
clutches at straw. We. believe the
German theorists will be proved as
wrong in their estimates of the United
States as they were in their estimates
of England, .t.
Three Years Of Fighting.
"You asked me what is the out
look at the opening of the fourth
year of the war. First, let me give
you in epitome the history of the
first three years as | understand it.
The first year, broadly. speaking,
was an attempt by Germany to put
into effect elaborate plans which its
military strategists had been prepar-
ing over the space of many long
years. The first phase was a concen-
trated attack on France and Belgium
during certain allotted period OF
time, in which the Germans estimated
, it would be impossible for Russia to
disturb them in the east.
"The attack on France was check
ed, first on the Marne, later on the
User and at Ypres, although France
and Belgium suffered severely in the
process. s
Germany then, according to its
plan, took the defensive on the west
ern front and turned its offensive
effort eastward in an effort to knock
out Russia. Here again it failed, al
though it attack enormously weak
ened Russia's offensive power.
Mitel-Europa' Scheme.
an the autumn of 1915 Germany
definitely abandoned its old pre-war
. strategic scheme and started in on a
new plan developed since the war
began; namely. an effort to upbuild
'Mitel- Europa as a great block CON-
posed of four so-called central pow
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