Evening star., 1942-06-05
Defeats Caused Fall
Of Germans in 1918
Writer Describes Effects
Of Failure of Armies
To Win Decisive Victory
By Bertran, Benedict,

By Bertram Benedict.
American newspapermen recently re-
leased from Germany have warned that
German civilian morale still shows little
sign of cracking up, although consider
able war WEAKNESS exists in the Reich.
At about the same time Josephus Daniels,
Secretary of the Navy in the last war,
prophesied that when the end comes,
1t will come suddenly, almost without
warning.
The Nazis claim that the German
armies had to give up the fight in 1913
only because they were stabbed In the
PACK by collapse of civilian morale at
nome. However, the record shows that
civilian morale held up we'll enough
while the German armies were winning
tnelr three great victories In the spring
OF 1913. Only after the fourth German
drive came cropper did Germany begin
TO crack up internally.
In 1917 minor mutinies had occurred
IN the German Navy but nothing more
OF the sort came until almost the end
OF the war. A large strike. more polit-
ical than union-inspired, broke out in
munitions plants in January 1918. but
enoeo when many of the strikers were
sent to the front, and there were no
more strikes for time. The Reichstag
In July. 1917, had passed resolutions
evincing willingness for peace, but
with the military collapse of Russia and
the defeat inflicted on the Italian Armv.
the Reichstag piped down.
In fact, early in 1918 England NAV
nave been as war weary as GERMANY.
Prime Minister Lloyd George, in speech
on January S. 1918. spoke only of re
considering the Alsace-Lorraine prob
lem" instead Of repeating demands that
Alsace-Lorraine be restored to France.
Also. he disavowed any intention OF
breaking up Austria Hungary or of fore
Ing Turkey to surrender Constantinople.
One OF the few signs that all was not
well within Germany prior to July, 1918,
was the constant complaint that govern
ment officials were being bribed to vio-
late the food rationing. A proud boast
OF the German Empire had been that its
civil servants were incorruptible. There
was loud grumbling although it did not
reach collapse Of morale-against
profiteering. black markets." inflated
prices, shortages of food, beer, coal, soap,
ETC.; "meatless weeks" and the COM
Wandering of metal household appli-
ances. The government redoubled its
pep" propaganda.
The German harvest of 1916 had been
poor, resulting in the "turnip winter" of
1916-17. But the 1917 crop was good. The
1918 crop was bad again, and Germany
got less food than she had counted on
from Russia after Russia made peace.
A confidential report of the British For
eign Office in September, 1918, said that
by 1919 Germany really would be threat
ened with famine.
Foreign Minister Kuhlmann had to
resign for telling the Reichstag, on June
rs, 1918, that military action alone would
not end the war. (The latest and final
drive of the Austro-Hungarian armies
had just been stopped cold) But other
changes In the government were minor
and Hindenburg and Ludendorff re-
manned at the head of the army.
1t was after the German armies had
begun to retreat in July, 1918, that the
German morale cracked wide open Sol
diers deserted to the enemy lines by the
thousands, many of them carrying prop
aganda pamphlets of the Allies. Some
prisoners were Of poor physique; Ger
many had scraped the bottom for man
power. Others showed signs of INSULT
cient rations.
Protest meetings and food riots be-
came common. There was talk of the
Kaiser abdicating. even of open revolu-
tion. With the Austro- Hungarian Army
disintegrating, the German people saw
themselves clearly face to face with
defeat.