The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-03-14
GERMAN WAR PRACTICES
Edited by Dana C.. Munro, Princtons Uni
versity; George c. Sellery, University
of Wisconsin, and August & krey,
University of Minnesota
Issued by the Committee on Public Information
University of Minnesota

These ideas, then, were systematl-
cally impressed upon the military and
official classes. 1t was necessary
however, to work upon the minds OF
the German people, so that they
might lend themselves to the inhd-
mali poiicies advocated by the nlli-
tary leaders. To do this was difficult,
for as aas been shown above, many
of the civilian leaders of public opia-
ion. time and again, expressed tEeir
horror Of the new spirit which was
animating the military authorities.
The ,Heichstag debates give ample
evidence of this, and the task OF fne
military leaders would have been stt!
moro difficult if the Reichstag la:.
had any real pove- (See War lnior-
nation Series, No. 3, The Govern
1rent of Germany; see also Gerard 5
My r>olr years in Germany, Chap.
ID
The military authorities and those
in sympathy witt: them have done all
in .stcir power tc stimulate hatred
of other peoples IL the minds of tfe
Germans. A campaign of education
before the war was carried on with
the object of impressing upon the
of the Germans the treacherous ma
ture of the peoples against whom the
military leaders were anxious to
wage war. Not only were the Ger
mans gradually led to believe that it
was necessary to fight a defensive
war against unscrupulous foes, but
also that these foes would violate
every precept of humanity, and con-
seuuently must be crushed without
mercy as a measure of self-defense.
The fruits of this campaign of sus-
picion and hatred became evident
when almost at the outbreak of the
war many Germans became possessed
with the belief that the whole popu-
lation of Belgium, the first country to
be invaded. had violated every rule
Of honorable warfare, that the francs
tireurs (guerillas) were everywhere
present doing their deadly work in
secrecy or under the cove of dark
ness; that women and even children
were mutilating and killing the
wounded or helpless prisoners.
y The effect of the fables upon the
popular mind may be seen in the fol-
lowing extracts from German letters:
Extract from letter written by
German solder to his brother. (This
letter, now in the possession of the
United States government, was OBJ
tanned for this pamphlet from Mr..
J. C. Grew, formerly secretary to the
United States Embassy at BerHn.)
November 4, 1914.
"The battles are everywhere eX-
tremely tenacious and bloody. The
Englishmen we hate most and we
want to get even with them for once.
While one now and then sees French
prisoners, one hardly ever beholds
French black troops or Englishmen.
These good people are not overlook
ed by our >infantrymen; that sort OF
people is moved down without mer-
cy. The losses of the Englishmen
must be enormous. There is a de-
sire to wipe them out, root and all.
Extract from another letter to
brother:
"schleswig, 25, 8, IA (Aug. 25, '1D:
Dear Brother, = You Will
shortly go to Brussels with your regi-
ment, as you know. Take care to
protect yourself against these Civil
lians, especially in the villages. Do
not let anyone of them come near
you. Fire without pity on everyone
of them who comes too near. They
are very clever cunning fellows, these
Belgians; even the women and chill
dren are armed and fire their guns.
Never 60 inside a house, especially
alone. If you take anything to drink
make the inhabitants drink first, and
keep at distance from them. The
newspapers relate numerous cases
in which they have fired on our SOL
diers whilst they we're drinking. You
soldiers must spread around so much
fear of yourselves that no civilian
will venture to come near you. Re-
main always in the company Of 9TH
ers. I hope that you have read the
newspapers and that you know how
to behave. Above all have no COM
passion for these cut-throats. Make
for them without pity with the butt
end of your rife and the bayonet. =
Your brother, WILL.
The Emperor gave his sanction to
the reports of the brutal acts of the
Belgians in a telegram to President
Wilson.
Berlin, via Copenhagen, Sept. 7, IA.
''Secretary of State, Washington.
Number 53 September Z. am re-
quested to forward the following tele-
gram from the Emperor to the Presi-
dent:
"'I feel it my duty, Mr.. President,