Evening star., 1921-10-26

part of Germany. This was clear at
the time it was signed. in the minds
of those who imposed it and of those
upon whom it was forced. 1t was the
logical outcome of the military and
political history of the four preceding
months.
In the first week of July, 1918, Ad-
miral Won Hintze-appointed by the
kaiser to be secretary Of state in the
imperial office of foreign affairs
wishing to be accurately informed as
to the military situation before TAX
ing up his duties. left for the front.
At Avesnes he met Gen. Luden-
dorff and asked him:
I'm the present offensive are you
certain to defeat the enemy COM
pletely and decisively?"
Gen. Ludendorff replied without hes
itation:
MY answer to your question is an
At that moment everything seemed
to justify the assurance of the first
quartermaSter general of the German
army. In March lightning stroke
thrown the allies back to the gates
of Amiens. In May another push had
broken the French line at the Chemin
des Danes and carried the enemy to
the banks of the Marine. The bonn
bardment of Paris was the visible
sign of German victory. Thousands
Of British and French prisoners. to
say nothing of enormous stores OF
war material. had been captured. The
German high command was busy cir
culating among it's troops that TINS
was the final offensive, 1.-The peace
offensive" The enemy was power
fully equipped for it-1.456 battalions.
total of 207 divisions. OF these 207
divisions 1870 were in line and u in
reserve. OF the latter. only twenty
recently withdrawn from battle need
ed refilling. Twenty-siX had been re-
inforced and thirty-one were fresh.
The Reimx Offensive.
Before dawn on July 10 the often
sive was launched in the direction
of Rheims. BY the 18th it had
been halted between our first and
second lines. On the 18th the armies of
Mangin and Degoutte counter-attacked
on German flank. On the 18th the en-
emy recrossed the Marine. BY August 4
they had been thrust over the Vesle. On
the Sth, farther north near Amiens.
three German divisions withdrew in
disorder, almost routed before the al
lied attack began. Note well these
events. They mark the beginnings of
victory and armistice.
On August 13 a numerous company
arrives at German general neaQQuar-
ters at Spa. Besides the kaiser, there
are gathered there the crown prince.
Field Marshal Won Hindenburg and
Gen. Ludendorff, Count Won Hertling.
chancellor of the empire. and Admiral
Won HintZe. minister for foreign af-
fairs. On the following evening the
Emperor of Austria and his mipister,
Count Bufian, arrive. A crown coun-
Gil is to be held on the 14th. Late
on the 18th Won Hintze takes Gen.
Won Ludendorff aside and questions
him as he had done month before
on the general situation. Lndendorff
replies:
I'm July 1 told you that I was GER
tain by the present offensive of break
ing the enemy's will to fight and Of
forcing them to make peace. Now
am no longer certain of this"
War to Force Peace.
'In that case" asks the minister,
how do you imagine the war can be
1--WE are still able by defensive op-
erations to paralyze the enemy's will
to fight and thus bring them little
by little to make peace"
In a word. instead of the crushing
triumph counted upon in July, the
German high command now pins its
hope of success on the WEAKNESS of
the allies. The crown council meets
the next day and Gen. Ludendorff
voices the same attenuated hope.
"A major offensive" he declares. "is
no longer possible. We must confine
ourselves to defensive Strategy