Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Germanii.


This is coolbert:

Here with some interesting miscellany gleaned from wiki entries regarding the German ground offensives, 1918, the Great War.

* Ludendorff, the overall strategist for the Spring offensives, was an outstanding student as a military cadet, excelling in mathematics. Another military man who displayed marked proficiency at math. So many of the great commanders show adeptness at math? An indication of a superior intellect?

"had a flair for mathematics . . . His acceptance into the Cadet School at Plön was largely due to his excellence in mathematics"

* Up until at least the first part of September 1918, Kaiser Wilhelm seemed oblivious to looming German defeat. Continued to exhort and encourage munitions workers, totally heedless to the plight and widespread economic desperation of the German people? The man was TOTALLY OUT OF TOUCH?

"'I on my throne and you on your anvil,' . . . 'Be strong as steel, and the solidity of the German people, welded into a single steel block, shall show the foe its strength. Those among you who have been moved by this appeal, those whose hearts are in the right place and who will keep the faith, let them stand up and promise me in the name of all the workmen of Germany: We shall fight and hold out to the man, so help us God! Let those who will do this answer me by saying Yes!'"


* A desire on the part of the German government to expand the boundaries of Imperial Germany further east precluded the re-deployment of 1,000,000 occupation troops from conquered eastern European territories. Foolish and unwise political considerations outweighed military necessity, a manpower shortage, an especially grave situation in the aftermath of the Spring Offensives.

"about a million German soldiers remained tied up in the east until the end of the war, attempting to run a short-lived addition to the German Empire in Europe. German political ambitions remained extravagant until the very end."

“Emotion clouds reason” - - Michael Corleone.


coolbert.

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