The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-04-05
LUDENDORFF LOST
HOPE ON AUGUST 5
German General, in Book, Says
Allied Victory Near Albert
Was Decisive.
GIVES DETAILS OF EVENTS
Wilson Notes Kept Him Com
muting Between the Front
and Berlin.
BY the Associated Press.

BERLIN. April 4,--One Of the Berlin
newspapers to-day prints extracts from
the forthcoming book written by Gen.
Ludendorff. former First ouartermaster-
General Of the German army
Gen. Ludendorff says the defeat of the
Germans on August s Gin the Franco
British offensive near Albert and north
OF Montdidier) finally resulted In the
losing OF hope by the Germans for a
military victory.
Conferences were held with Chancellor
Won Hertling, Admiral Won Hintze. the
Foreign Minister, and Field Marshal Won
Hindenburg on August II, 10 and is.
and there also was a meeting of the
Crown Council, "at which I clearly stated
that the war could no longer be won mill
itarly," says Ludendorff.
At the beginning OF September the Su-
preme Army Command again invited
Won Hertling and Won Hintze to Spa,
Ludendorff adds Hertling excused him
self from attending on account of his
advanced age. In these discussions the
situation on the western front was again
depleted as very grave, according to Lu-
dendorff.
Opposed Burian's step.
II opposed Baron Burian's step for
peace on account Of its vagueness, but
favored an immediate peace step in
some other FORM" Ludendorff says.
(Burian was the Austro- Hungarian For
eign Minister. and constantly was send
ing out peace feelers)
The supreme command" Ludendorf
continues. had an idea OF mediation by
Holland. On September renewed dis
cussions between Won Hntze, Won Hin
denburg and myself were followed by
a report to the Kaiser. Won Hintze was
the first to allude to a change on In
ternal grounds,
Il then spoke as follows: We must
now act energetically on the armislce
and peace questions, The entire situa-
ton In Europe may undergo a change
may at any time have to withdraw
further, and the worse our military sit
uation becomes the harder will be the
conditions
"On the arrival OF President Wilson'S
note came to Berlin and submitted
the following questions to Won Hert-
ling: First. is the German people will
ing to night on? Second, what is the
German Governments estimate of the
Bolshevik danger. which / take very
seriously? Third. is the Ukraine neces-
sary for our provisioning"
Again Invited to Berlin.
The second note to President Wilson
was also sent in agreement with the
Supreme Army Command. The answer
to 1t clearly showed that President VIII
son no longer had the power to oppose
the Ententos demands. For the reply
to the note the Chancellor again In
vited me to Berlin.
The military situation was un'
changed. In the west. however, there
was a consolidation and this circum'
| stance, In conjunction with the declara'
! ton made by the War Minister that hi
could within a measurable period give
| the Supreme Command 100000 men
made the situation appear such that We
need not surrender Internationally L
| President Wilson.
II emphasized the necessity of reply
Ing TO the note in dienified tone, will
| due regard 70 the empires interests
An abandonment Of the U-boat wa
could not be considered. Admiral Schee
Former chief OF the German Admiralty
stsfD spoke in the same sense.
This conception also continued to b
held for some days In the War Cabinet
Or. Solf tformer Foreign Ministcr), how
ever. requested Count Wolfr'Retternic
and others to create a more yieldin
atmosphere, Success fell to Solf Tn
U-boat war ceased and the path to capi
tulation was trodden. Won Hindenbur
Immediately protested against this an
proposed an appeal to the nation.
sim Wanted to Fight.
1T was clear from President Wilson
third answer that our opponents wante
| to destroy US. Won Hindenburg an
myself had no doubt that II we mus
fight We could still continue the war 70
rome months.
THE utmost excrtion OF strengt
might perhaps have had SOLDERING ei
| feet on the enenoy neoDles and hrourL