His reserves were reduced to 68 divisions—­as against 81 in July—­and of these only 21 were fresh troops.  The German line had been shortened by 125 miles, but so weakened were the German Armies, that the same number of divisions had to be kept in the line as before the shortening—­each division representing only some three-quarters of its former strength, and 16 divisions having been broken up to fill the ranks in those that remained.

Following immediately on this report came the three converging attacks of the Allies. On October 9th the German Army, under British pressure, abandoned the whole Hindenburg position, and entered upon a general retreat from the North Sea to the Meuse.  At that moment 44 of the German divisions in line were not to be depended on for further serious fighting, and there were only 22 divisions available to replace them, of which 15 were of inferior quality, holding “quiet” sectors.  On October 11th the French Intelligence Bureau reported that “it is impossible for the enemy, with the forces that he has at present in line, to stop and face any considerable attack for an appreciable time.”

On October 4th, the day after Hindenburg’s letter to Prince Max, the German Chancellor cabled to President Wilson, asking for an Armistice. Already, on September 28th, in the very midst of the British attack on the Hindenburg line, and on the morrow of General Gouraud’s and General Pershing’s first advances in Champagne and the Argonne, the German Command had warned the Chancellor that this step must be taken, and from October 9th onward there was no more heart left in the German Armies.  The “prisoners” line in the chart,[10] brought daily up to date at the Headquarters of the British Army, shows what the demoralisation had become in the German ranks.  After the British battle of the Sambre (November 4th) there were practically no reserves left, and Marshal Foch had plans in store which, had there been any further resistance, must have led to the wholesale capitulation of all that was left of the German Armies.

  [10] See reproduction.

* * * * *

So in ignominy and shame the German onslaught on the liberties of Europe came—­militarily—­to its bitter end.  The long-drawn agony of four and a half years was over, and the “wearing-out battle” had done its work.  Now, six months later, we are in the midst of that stern Epilogue—­in which a leagued Europe and America are dictating to Germany the penalties by which alone she may purge her desperate offence.  A glance at the conditions of Peace published to the world on May 11th, the anniversary of the-sinking of the Lusitania, will form the natural conclusion to this imperfect survey of the last and most glorious stage in “England’s Effort.”  But for the moment, let me return to the “Features of the War,” and Marshal Haig’s comments on them in his last Despatch.  Many, many books will be written about them in the future!  All I can do here is to single out a few of those that seem to be most commonly in the minds of those who are still thinking about the war.