If Germany persists in her standpoint of refusal and thus wrecks the hope of a possible peace the situation in Austria-Hungary will become extremely critical.
I should be very glad to have a talk with you as soon as possible, and your promise conveyed through Count Czernin soon to pay us a visit gives me the greatest pleasure.
The Crown Prince's answer was very friendly and full of anxiety to help, though it was also obvious that the German military leaders had succeeded in nipping his efforts in the bud.

When I met Ludendorff some time afterwards in Berlin this was fully confirmed by the words he flung at me: "What have you been doing to our Crown Prince?
He had turned very slack, but we have stiffened him up again." The game remained the same.

The last war period in Germany was controlled by one will only, and that was Ludendorff's.

His thoughts were centred on fighting, his soul on victory.
FOOTNOTES: [4] This is a literal rendering of the famous text from the German..