Norwich bulletin., 1918-10-28
General LudendOrf
 Resigns From Army
Regarded in Switzerland and Central Powers as Indica- ton Militarism is Really Abdicating.

Copenhagen, Oct. 27.--General Lu dendorff, first quartermaster general of the German army, has resigned, says a telegram from Berlin. In ac- cepting his resignation the emperor has decreed that the Lower Rhenish infantry regiment, No. S9 of which General Ludendorq long had been com mander, shall bear his name.
 In the resignation of General Luden- dorff, Germany loses what often has Isbeen described as her military brain. , 1 Unknown before the war, General Erich Ludendorff sprang into prom thence in the fall Of 1914 as chief of staff to Field Marshal Won Hinden- burg, then a general, in the operations against the Russians. When Won Hindenburg was given the chief com mand in August, 1916, Ludendorff was appointed first quartermaster general but his position in reality has been chief of staff and collaborator with Won Hindenburg.
 Soon after his appointment as first | quartermaster general, Ludendorff be- gan to be looked upon as the req boss" of Germany and was recognized as the representative of the Pan Ger mans at great headquarters. It waf Ludendorff who brought about the re- 1 tirement of Chancellor Won Bethmann- Hollweg and he was reputed to have l been responsible for the appointment to the chancellorship of Michaelfs anC l Won Hertling both of whom were de, scribed as stopgaps. The general rule as first quartermaster general hal amounted almost to military dictator ship.
 General Ludendorff was reported t have been the originator of the pla1 of the German offensive of 1918. Tn, plan called for offensive operations ol the western front which would spli the British and French armies ant compel the allies to beg for peace be
 fore the strength of the Americal army could be available to any grea
 extent. It was planned that if tn
 offensive failed then Germany woul' resort to a diplomatic campaign il
 order to obtain peace.
 Since the defeat of the German of
 fensive and the successful offensive O
 Marshal Foch, reports from German
 have been to the effect that Luden
 dorff and Von Hindenburg were losin
 their popularity in Germany bot because peace did not result from tn
 German attacks and because of tn . heavy casualties suffered by the Ger
 mans.
 Early in October reports from Der lin were that Ludendorff had suffere
 a physical collapse and that he ha f decided to resign. On Oct. 15 Luden dorff was said to have become so en
 ragged over the German peace not
 that he offered his resignation. Ther . also have been reports recently ths
 he was not on good terms with othe German military leaders, especial Crown Prince Ruppreeht of Bavarii , A news despatch through a neutr;
 country on Oct. 19 said that Gener;
 Ludendorff was reported to have tol the imperial crown council that Ger f many might be invaded in a fe I weeks
 ! As first quartermaster general. Ger a eral Ludendorff was responsible fC
 the official statements issued fro,
 German general headquarters. He the man who has explained to u g German people how the Germa troops during the past three montl
 have carried out strategic withdraw aIS"