The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1918-08-08
Lloyd George Address Shows
Great Confidence; Praises
Ability OF American Troops

light of what happened afterward
, that it was not such an impossible
effort
How did the German plans pro-
per? There had been four and hal
months Of such fighting as never b,
fore was seen on the face of tn
globe. What happened? At frs
the German army achieved consider
able success and we had anxious me
ments-very anxious moments. Thos
who knew most about the situation
were the most anxious. Our losse
were considerable in men, in mater
ial and also in prisoners.
"The second German blow nigh
very well have overwhelmed thu
British army, but before the battle
was over, in fortnight's time, 26O,
600 men were thrown across the
channel and, in a months time 355,
OO. Every gun lost had been put
back and every machine gun re-
placed. Not merely had the deficien.
cy ben supplied but the number had
been increased.
AT that moment here were more
guns and more machine guns with
the army in France than ever before.
1t was the first German miscalcula-
ton. The calculated that we could
not do it.
I'VE owe a debt of gratitude to a.
section of the press for misleading
the enemy They led the Germans
to believe that we hadn't even been
able to make up the deficiency and
the Germans made their plans &C.
cordingly.
"They hit here, they hit in the
south, in the center, and in the north
where they thought they were de.
stroying the British army with moth.
ing behind it. In six weeks they were
hurled back and forced to stand
still, by the British army; they were
defeated in two of the most san.
culinary battles Of the war; they were
left with unhealthy salients under
the fire of our guns and with an ex.
tended line.
Their purpose was to overwhelm
the British army, they declared it
and they announced it in their in.
spired press, but on the first of May
they left us to go south and make
another attack, for it could not he
done in the north. It was one of the
finest things in tenacious valor in the
whole history of the British Empire
only a great emergency could
have justified the sending of lads of
eighteen and half years with only a
few months training to France. When
they arrived there they went straight
TO the front, and as soon as thew
were there they had to face the vet
Grams and the victorious troops of
Inc enemy. But no veterans ever
fought with greater steadfastness
nan these lads who helped to save
ne cause of the allies from disaster.
After the enemy's experience in
nat six weeks of fighting, although
We know what the plan was, the
British army was not attacked for
hree or four months. The Germans
nay come again but that will be be.
ause they have failed elsewhere.
Il wish to give warm recognition
assistance that the French gave
n these operations. After May H.
he Germans turned off and attacked
he French. They won a preliminary
uccess on a considerable scale. but
OF merely have they been forced to
standstill by Marshal Foch but his
ounterstroke-the most brilliant in
ne annals of the war-has driven
ack the enemy The danger is not
ct over, but he would be sanguine
IAN on the German general staff
Tho would now predict that Germany
ould obtain military decision this
ear.
i do not wish to go beyond that.
I'm anlyzing the elements of the !
lied successes, stress should be
laced on the rapidity with which [
he British made good their losses [
nd the rapidity in which the Ameri- {
an troops were brought over. These {
vo matters we're essential parts of ,
lie German miscalculations. In July. /
rs O00 Amarioon troono - /.