The following pages containing the comment from German sources which has been recorded in the files of the Enemy Order of Battle sub-section GHQ sketch the varying mental states wich the German mind experienced as the significance of America’s entry into the European theater of Operations became generally understood in Germany.
The source of each quotation is indicated just above the quotation. All are authentic, unchanged and inedited. An especial effort has been made to find all unfavorable criticism.
The following pages contain all able criticism. That much of the comment is therefore, significant of the unfavorfavorable is.
It is to be regretted that the men who came in contact with the snemy and thus established American prestige cannot read these page!


The General Commanding the 3rd German Army, General von Einem was absent but I was received by the Chief of Staff who asked me if I spoke German, and upon my reply that I did, asked the other officers of his staff, and the staff officer who had accompanied me, to leave the room, and when we two vere alone together both standing made, in a very earnest manner a speech to me in a substance as follows :

“I fought in campaigns against the Russian Army, the Serbian Army, the Roumanian Army, the British Army, the French Army and the American Army. All told in the war I have participated in more than 80 battles. I have found your American Army the most honorable - (ehrlich) - of all our enemies. You have also been the bravest of our enemies and in fact the only ones who have attacked us seriously in this years battles.
I therefore honor you, and, now, that the war is over, I stand ready, for my part, to accept you as
a friend ‘”

From the report of an American Staff Officer
who was sent just after the Armistice, into Germany

Deny the Americans even a moral sueccess :
It was decided to use picked men against the American A Division of five regiments, to inflict on them a morale defeat.
The purpose of the intervention of the 5th Guard Division and the 28th Infantry Division was to prevent at all costs the achievement of success by the Americans - especially a moral success. (This is the statement of officers and platoon leaders.)
The High Command seems to have been much impressed by the Franco-American attacks, and to have decided to prevent at all costs the possibility of the United States being able to boast a success over the German troops.

Hdqrs 2nd Division US Army June 14 1918

Employs best divisions against Americans :
Extract from letter : We shall have a look at the American : the embitterment against him is great. We should have been relieved, but now the American Division has been identified and therefore our Army General Staff has selected the best of our divisions for we against it.

003-French 6th Army Bulletin of Information 513 June 11 1918

Germans marvel at skill of Americans :
The prisoners do not conceal their wondering astonishment at the training and skill of the Americans, as revealed this morning before them.

004-French 6th Army Interrogation No, 7024/2 July 15 1918

The prisoners seemed impressed by the calm and resistance of the Americans

005-2nd Division Interrogation June 25 1918

Americans : good and ebergetic fighters.
We were told that the Americans were apposite us, and that they were brave men ; and to be on our guard. A prisoner states that as he when into line he met men coming out from whom he learned that the Americans were : good and energetic fighters.

Digg buttons brought to you by diggZ-ET (WordPress Plugin)