The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1919-03-21
FATAL DRIVE OF
HUNS BEGAN One
YEAR AGO TODAY
Prospective Shows that Hin
denburg's Gamble Was Fun
damentally Wrong.
By j. w. T, Masoh.

(Written for the United Press.) !.
New York, March 21.--Germany's
irretrievable defeat in the world war
began one year ago today when the
army of the Hohenzollerns started
their major offensive along the West
front, and outran their supply Of man
power.
A years perspective OF Won Hin
den burgs gamble shows with In
.apitable clearaess that the German
strategy was fundamentally wrong,
and by no possibility could have won
the war. When the kaiser's armies
started for the channel ports, 2
months ago. they deliberately set
forth to reduce their own strength,
at a time when Americas millions
were speeding overseas to reinforce
the allies,
Never in the history Of warfare
has a greater mistake than this been
committed. Had the Germans
reached the channel they would at
most have succeeded in prolonging
the war for few months. They
couldn't have defeated the American
armies by the channel drive, because
the American armies were not there
And with the American armies in be-
ing. anv success of Won Hindenburg
could have remained only tempor-
ary affair. -,
What Won Hindenburg did by his
March offensive was to carry his
battlefront so far from Germany that
olr III n a n
burg was defeated in France, some
what after the basic manner OF Napo-
Icons defeat in Russia. Napoleon
rush ed too far into the enemy's
country, and so did Won Hindenburg.
The changes in methods Of warfare
during the intervening century made
a trespass Of mile as dangerous to
Won Hindenburg as 20-mile trespass
to Napoleon.
A Gamblers Passion
Why Won Hindenburg attempted
his futile advance Is matter that
concerns Germany's insane war men
tality. The persistent error OF the
German military leaders throughout
the war was their refusal to remain
inactive They had gamblers pas
sion for the initiative. This may be
fruitful when the odds are not
heavily in the enemy's favor. But 1t
becomes suicidal when continued In
the face of such odds as America's s en-
trance into the war gave to the allies.
Won Hindenburg' essential lack OF
genius was demonstrated by his re-
fusal to enter upon Y complete de-
fensive Immediately it became appar-
ent, as it did last winter. that the
United States intended pouring into
Europe as many million troops as
were needed to win the war.
Had Won Hindenburg held fast to
his original Western frant, he would
have had between a million and a
million and a half more men at his
disDosal than were finally left when
the American offensive began. The
result would have been greatly in
creased allied losses, and upon Ger
mans ultimate surrender, much
larger salvage Of German man power
than now exists. But Won linden
burg played for no middle course.
The Germans had been taught to
think only in terms of victory. and
with that gone they had no ability
to compromise their losses. Arrog-
ance without moderating influences,
offensive talents without versatility
in defense-theso they had in large
measure. But vision and an under
standing Of the minds Of men were
far from them. and at no other tim"
were so fatally absent as year ago
today