An impartial military verdict on the German strategy and tactics at
Verdun has not yet been delivered. After the failure of the Allies to
break through last year, the German higher command issued a paper, which
has been printed in American newspapers, advocating "nibbling" tactics,
instead of attempts to carry a strongly fortified line by a coup _de
main_. The Germans have buoyed up their hopes by assuring each other
that their troops have been making a slow but methodical progress toward
the "fortress," according to program. But even if we grant that the
disproportion in casualties is probably not so great as some of our
critics have supposed, it is difficult to believe that the enemy was
prepared for such resistance as he has met with. To all appearance, the
Germans expected to break through in a few days, and hoped that this
success would rehabilitate the credit of the paltry young prince whom we
here see entangled in barbed wire, his uniform in rags, and despair
depicted on his haggard face. Another confessed failure would finish the
career of the Crown Prince; and yet there are limits to the endurance of
any troops, and these limits have now been reached. There is nothing
left to young William but useless imprecations. He swaggered into this
war, for which he is partly responsible, expecting to win the reputation
of a general; he will sneak out of it with the reputation of a burglar.