Our notorious inferiority was only in very slight degree the fault of the individual soldier; rather did it emanate from the general state of Austro-Hungarian affairs.

We entered the war badly equipped and sadly lacking in artillery; the various Ministers of War and the Parliaments were to blame in that respect.
The Hungarian Parliament neglected the army for years because their national claims were not attended to, and in Austria the Social Democrats had always been opposed to any measures of defence, scenting therein plans for attack and not defence.
Our General Staff was in part very bad.

There were, of course, exceptions, but they only prove the rule.

What was chiefly wanting was contact with the troops.

These gentlemen sat with their backs turned and gave their orders.