This is the great "battle of Calais," which, contrary to the
anticipations of the enemy, was in reality fought to the east of the
Yser. The losses of the Germans, which during those ten days exceeded
150,000 men, and may perhaps have reached 200,000, produced a terrifying
impression on the troops. From that moment prisoners no longer declared
themselves sure of success. For a certain time they had been consoled
by the announcement of the capture of Warsaw. This pretended success
having proved to be fictitious, incredulity became general.
During the last two months the most intelligent of the prisoners have
all admitted that no one could any longer say on which side victory
would rest. If we think of the absolute confidence with which the German
people had been sustained, this avowal is of great importance.
Letters seized on a dead officer speak of the imminence of a military
and economic hemming-in of Germany. They discuss the possibility of
Germany finding herself after the war with "empty hands and pockets
turned inside out." There is no longer any question of imposing the
conqueror's law upon adversaries at his mercy, but of fighting with the
energy of despair to secure an honorable peace. An officer of the
General Staff who was made prisoner on Jan. 18 said: "Perhaps this
struggle of despair has already begun."
_There follows a chapter bearing the title, "The System of Lies," in
which the review describes the methods by which it is alleged the German
Government "made a sustained effort to create in the army an artificial
state of mind based entirely upon lies and a scientific system of
fables."_