The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-12


 another eastern front. and to increase our military strength, we compiled with Finland's request for troops. General von Mannerheim also supported the dis. pate hof German troops. He did moi want them too soon, nor in too great strength. so that his Films might have some fighting to do, and thereby gain confidence Those were sound mill tary ideas.
 With the consent of the imperial gov ernment, of which we continued to as- sure ourselves, we first established an advanced base in the Aaland Islands because at that time it appeared neces- sary to land in the Gulf of Bothnia As| a short time before Sweden had also landed troops on the islands, we had to enter into special negotiations with that country. which proceeded without difficulty. Later on Sweden withdrew it's troops and we ourselves abandoned
 the islands, soon after general head
 quarters had decided to land the expe-
 dition at Hango.
 RED GUARDS DRIVEN OUT
 Liaison with General von Manner
 helm was maintained by Major Crantz
 whom had sent to the Finnish head quarters, where he settled how the German troops were to be employed. Cooperation with General von Manner
 helm was always satisfactory, and marked by mutual confidence. The Baltic division had been formed at Danzig under General Count von der Goltz it consisted of three battalions of Jager, three regiments of mounted rifles (Kavallerie- Schutzen) and a few
 batteries. It landed at Hango early in April, while General von Mannerheim with the Finnish white guards, who had been partly armed by us. was north west of Tammerfors with his back to Wasa. The Finnish Jager battalion had been sent to him. Being composed l of picked men. it formed an excellent training school for the new Finnish officers.
 | While General von Mannerheim ad- vanced via Tammerfors, the Baltic di- vision moved northeast toward Tavas- | tehus. In cooperation with the fleet | it occupied Helsigfors on the 18th of | April, with a weak force; the com | mander-in- -chief in the east landed a weak detachment under Colonel von | Brandensten at Lovisa, and Kotka, east | of Helsingfors This detachment march, | ed north in order to block the retreat of the red guards, who were near Tav- | astehus, at Lahti. In a concentric at l tack they were completely surrounded after heavy fighting at the end of April and forced to surrender. Fin land was thus liberated.
 ENGLAND COULD NOT ADVANCE l In the meantime Viborg had been oc- l cupied from the north by the white guards; strategically this. was a good move; what it's actual result would have been, if the decision had not taken | nIo !, l seen. owing to the uncertain fighting
 value of the opposing forces and the support of the bolsheviks from Russia. | The tactical victory and the prompt | liberation of Finland were achieved on | the field of Lahti Tayastehus by the | splendid collaboration of German and 1 Finnish troops. This concluded opera l tions.
 We now held positions at Viborg and Nnrvn which would mt any time en- able to advance on Petrogrnd, in
 order to overthrow the bolshevil gov ernmept or prevent the English from
 reaching there from Murmansk. From Finland. moreover, the Murmansk rail- way was flanked along it's whole l length, so that England could not un- l dertake any serious attampt on Petro- | grad.
 | The English expedition which had oc- I cupied the Murman coast was firmly held there. The diversion of the weak | Baltic division. of which the three Ja- ger battalions returned to Germany in August, was well worth while. The l Finnish government at once set about l organizing the Finnish army, assisted 1 by German instructors.
 BALKED BY FOREIGN OFFICE
 That we did not achieve more in Fin- l land is mainly owing to our ever vas l cillating policy. General Count von der Goltz had won universal confidence. even that of the leading politicians, which the representative of the Ger | man government was not so successful l in doing. The want of decision in our | foreign policy was unfortunately made l evident in this sphere also. The foreign 1 office adopted no definite plan, and be- l came nobody's friend in Finland, but only offended Germany's faithful ad- | herents.
 The many proofs of warm sympathy | which I received from Finland after my resignation prove that gratitude still exists in the world. This sympathy l touched me all the more because fl