From that moment, in fact, Germany lost the initiative and the direction
of the war. And, furthermore, she was condemned to suffer the
counter-effects of the enormous and precipitate effort which she had
made in vain. From the point of view of her effectiveness and her
regimental cadres, (basic organization,) she had undergone a wastage
which her adversaries, on the other hand, had been able to save
themselves. She had, in the words of the proverb, put all her eggs in
one basket, and in spite of her large population she could no longer,
owing to the immediate and sterile abuse which she had made of her
resources, pretend to regain the superiority of numbers.
She was reduced to facing as best she could on both war fronts the
unceasingly increasing forces of the Allies. She had attained the
maximum of tension and had secured a minimum of results. She had thus
landed herself in a difficulty which will henceforward go on increasing
and which is made clear when the wastage which her army has suffered is
closely studied.