LUDENDORFFB MEMOIRS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17254, 2 September 1919, Page 8

LUDENDORFFB MEMOIRS.

CIV!L LEADERS BLAMED.

BREAK WITH THE KAISER. LONDON, Auk 19. interesting extracts have been published in Berlin from Ludendorff's memoirs, written after the .armistice. The former marshal complains that the suffrage decree of Jwhyy 1917, " revealed! our weak points to th« enemy, showing our fears of a revolution."- After th(s Reichstag peace resolution of 1917, both he and Hindenburg tendered the'* resignations, which were withdrawn upon the ChanC --» Dr. von Bethmann-Hoilweg,,. retiring. Bo..refers>-to von Kallmann, a former Foreign Minister, as a post-B.smarck type of diplomatist, whoa* name will ever be associated with the Bolsheviks' entry into Berlin, and the permitting of Bolshevik propaganda from the Russian Embassy. Dealing with the critical days towards the ena of 1918, Ludendorff says that even after President eon's second Not© he " urged a fresh national effort. * Indeed, Hindenburg issued an army order, sharply condemning President Wilson. This order, says Ludendorff, " brought about my fall" -The former Kaiser declared against the order, so L-odendorff/ feeling that he had lost his "master's confidence, fes'gned. WilheJjpa, accepting bin resignation, said,

." Your departure will make it possible for use- to create-a new State, with the help of the Social: Democrats." Xudendbrff then went to see Aad said, " in * fortnight we ebsJl Bo longer have a Kaiser." ~. ~ . ; ,-„- Victory Hear!],' a Defeat. , Perhaps the leasi-jtntfwn fact which the memoirs; disclose .is that the Germans" nearly lost the battle of Tannenbeigj which was only won by Ludendorif drawing off all' the troops facing Renut'^kamprs army, and concentrating them against Samsonoff*s army ton the ,JBFajrew. " The battle lasted from August 27 to August ,30.,. ':". IRennsnkampf's . im- ,. mense .array lay like a threatening teunclerelptid in .the north-east. ; A3l k* had to da. "..was* "to" have come'up, and we would have ,fc*ea ; beatonj bat he ; "didn't .march ..with' his ri>ain body beyond the . vl Allenhurg - Gerdau*an - Nordenburg ? line, , ard we. -won. a ,Vacant . victory- Few people knew, of the anxious thoughts. dar- I ,~ ling tbsse long days, when I looked to- 1 wards Renneiikampf's Neimen army." ' . J XudeiJdorff„ admits that the entry into : thenar of, Roumanian.was a bitter Wow, aha to realise his stupendous He bowed hia head, he ~ , said,, and asked Almighty God to sustain 'hint, J 'Continuing, be says that he was ' ,cp?t_!totaled by growing; i difficulties. - ,The j ..-lAu'esl, &Woies were developing, and the -c^W^M?-M-. tlfei.r war materiaf was daiiv manifested .on the Somme" to "an extent hitherto, undreamed of.' Conseeaently Hindßabtftf Xndendorfl decided to • raobyise : the„xvhole of the physical, industrial; and njoral resources Germany. ! \ - Opppasa to SubaiarMe Warfare.

"- fiudendorff"-"toured the west front in '< December,;-1917, and was disagreeably impressed'with the seriousness of the situa- * tion. ' He gave most anxious thoughts to defence, and ; decided' to adopt the new 1 tactics of -lightly holding the front lines -to obviate 'the growing -losses; The failure of the earlier peace moves compelled' the realisation-that Germany's only watchword wag " Victory or downfall, ■-' The wlibfg of 1917 «# . Eutfepadfff at '. variance; with the civil authorities; *Ee complains that through weakness and Hnder.ertiraifioh of "the allied: strength trie, civil authorities hesitated' & accede to his demand for universal transcription of both .'seifes between,the age* of 15 and 60.« .Finally, under extreme pressure, their enacted ""* w>«k compromise, doing more hirrajhan good. " ' . . Ludendgrff,. describes the -.conflicting , counsels ' cor/cerhing " unrestricted, submarine''warfare.- He' and Hindenburg at , first oppose i jt on the grounds tbatjthe time * was not ripe' for 5$,■ but gradually . they were Converted as hopes of peace . waned. . They remained sceptical of the . optimism -of the naval experts, however, M , but personify they thought that the unrestricted warfare would be. decisive within a year,,, before the intervention of America he.;al|*je effectual. The final decision was taken on. January 9, .After the refusal of the peace offers the Kaiser; fell'in;-with the views of the experts," arid ordered the campaign to open on February" 1.