The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-02-09
Reporters Analysis
of Hun Leaders
Characters Reveals
Cunning and Stu
pidity, Brutality
a n d Suavity,
Sire myth an d
Weakness, Curl
ously Mixed, w itl1
Fatal Results

fantry Brigade, were killed by tho
fire OF the brave Belgians.
Won Wussow's brigade, through the
loss Of its commander, hesitated and
began to wavcr. Seeing that, Luden-
dcrff Immediately took command Of
the brigade and personally led it in a
charge on the Belgian line north Of
Fort Fleron. Ludendorffs attack
was successful. and the Germans
broke through. After the capture oc
Liege. credit for which was given To
Emmich, the Kaiser summoned Luden-
dorf to make personal report to
him. lie was so plea ed that no
threw his arms around Ludendorff
and conferred upon him the Pour 10
Merite cross.
BY the middle of August Gen. Won
Prttwitz. one of the Kaisers favorites.
was badly defeated by Gen. Rennen-
kalnpf and his Russians in East
Prussia. The General staff decided
that the Kaiscr's favorite must be
cash!ered. Impressed by the decision.
initiative and energy displayed by
Ludendorff in the attack on Licge.
Gen. Won Moltke. Chief of the General
Staff, recommended to the Kaiser the
appointment of Ludondorff as Chief Of
Staff in the East and HindonburE, the
old warrior Of the NTasurian swamps.
as commander in chief in place Of
Pr!ttwitz. The latter was reported TO
have committed suicide because OF the
disgrace of his removal but he is nr
was still living quietly in Berlin
when ] left theln.
At 3 o'clock on the afternoon e
August 90 Hindenburg received 4
telegram on his estate near Hanover,
saying that he had been selected for
an important command and TO hold
himself in readiness TO leave the fol-
lowing day The telegram did not
state what The command was. Half
an hour later a second telegram ar
rived stating that Major Gen. Iuden-
dorff had been named as his chief OF
staff and would arrive between ard
O'Clock that night on a special train
from Namur. IIindenhurg was to be
at the station ready to board the train.
At 1:3O finally came a telegram
telling Hindenburg where he was
destined to go and that he had been
appointed TO the command OF the army
in East Prussia, where Mackensen
and Francois were making a desperate
stand against Rennenkampf and Sam
sonoff. The track was cleared for
the Hindenburg- Ludcndorff special
from Hanover to MarienUurg in East
| Prussia.
During the rest OF the night and tho
| next day IIindenburg and Ludendorfc
worked out their plans. which resulted
IN the defeat OF the Russians in the
Masuriau Lake battles OF Tinneu-
berg, Neidenburg and 0rtclshurg.
Samsonoff committed suicide. l'ric-
| ton between him and Remembering
| IS supposed to have contributed large,
| ly 10 their disaster, IIindenhurE HIM
self remarked to mo once, Had Rem
nenkampf aud SamsOnof Cooperated.
or the ono known what was happen
ing to the Other, they could lave
crushed me-"
When l ASKED IIlndenburS about
tho reports that thousands OF Russian
soldiers had drowned in the lakes, A
very popular story IN Germany, the
old Field Marshal replied. "Nonsense,
Just a legend which tho people viii
insist on having. ! doubt whether
Sou will find 100 dead Russians II the
lakes"
Hndenburg. who hade defiance to
the Allies and who said tho war viii
go to tho side that has the strongest
nerves" now knows which side that
was. Whatever place future histo-
rians will give him. It viii be said
that he was not great enough for his
mental horizon to extend beyond the
borders OF Europe. But 1t will be
credited 20 him that he took his
medicine with his people. The same
cannot be said Of I.uGendorfT, whp
followed the example OF the Kaiser
and TIE Crown rr!Ncn.