The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-10
so YEARS. REIGN
ENDS In DEBACLE


been worth half a million men. promised
that the mailed fist Of Germany with
God, Of course) would restore him.
War weariness shown.
There was great popular unrest and
war WEAKNESS in Germany for months.
The Reichstag majority was for peace
without annexations. falling foul of the
Chancellor In the end Bethmann- Hoil-
veg resigned the CHARACTERISTIC and
Wilhelm appointed DR.. Georg Michaelis.
a meticulous bureaucrat. who pleased
nobody but tided things over for almost
a year and half. The Russian armies
still held noninally together. In Galicia
they even hammered the Teutons Sc
verely in July. but the end OF the third
year OF the war found the Kaiser In i'm
proved military conditions and better
spirits. Outside the battle Of the Aisne
the story Of the year favored Germany.
The Russian armies were disintegrating
and retiring north and east.
The German advance on Riga was a
mere march with scarce a conflict The
Bolshevik leaders. Lenine and Trotsky,
whether German agents or radical imbe-
Giles. had betrayed Russia and Russia
was to pay the price. November saw the
a big initial advance. even Il arrested
at Italy's northern gates as IL was. With
Russia and Rum nia In the net all mill
tarist Germany took heart The Kaiser
gave out millions of Iron Crosses and
the new word passed along the lines OF
army. navy and civilians was that an
nexations and indemnities and. conquest
won by force was TO be the order OF the
day. The pan-Germans stiffened their
lips. The talk of electoral reform was
stopped. The movement of army divl-
sions from the eastern fronts began.
They were going to say fee-fo-fum with
millions OF men and guns and by splitting
the French and British armies dictate
peace-a German peace-at Paris and
Calais. perhaps, and why not In London
1t was to be done out Of hand. and
America was to be too late to be OF
help. Count Won Hertling. the new
Chancellor. was to be Just the man to
oversee 1t all. So. politically and other.
wise. the Kaiser was for a while In high
feather.
But II did not last. The promise OF
the new western offensive did not please
bleeding. hungry Germany. II would
have to be paid for in more blood
whether won or lost. The Americans
were crossing over after all. and bring
ing money, munitions ana stores 10 tnt
Allies. The Russian excuses and poor
showing OF the Bolsheviki In the peace
negotiations had chilled revolutionary
tendencies in Germany. That was COM
fort to Wilhelm. His nervousness, how
ever. increased. He went to Spa In Feb
ruary to take the cure. but was up with
the army on March 81, when linden
burg and Ludendorff launched the great
offensive Of 1918. and was r.otously joy
Gus over the work of the first two days
Then halt. Losses that soon rolled W
into 600, 900 made a terrible hour for tht
Kaiser. We hear OF him storminl
against Ludendorff and asking him
Are you or I Emperor of Germany
We know the long story Of that offen
slve. 1t left the situation far moro par
lous for the Kaiser than II seemed or
his last birthday The Americans KEEP
arriving other things happened. Tit
hope for humanity. sane thought ant
deed was better. And the Kaiser Jib
bered on more Incoherently than ever
| an imperial puppet where he had beer
the master and the lord.