Copy of Telegram

Title

Copy of Telegram

Creator

Davis, John William

Identifier

WWP25321

Date

1918 October 24

Description

Quotes from Ludendorf about how armistice will strengthen imperialist German view.

Source

Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers

Publisher

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum

Subject

World War, 1914-1918--Armistices
Ludendorff, Erich, 1865-1937

Contributor

Danna Faulds

Relation

WWP25320
WWP25322
WWP25323
WWP25324

Language

English

Provenance

Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.

Text

COPY OF TELEGRAM

The Hague,
Dated October 24, 1918.
Received Oct. 25, 1:19 a.m.

C O D E
Milstaff,

Washington, DC

No. 286, Oct. 24.

  1. Our agent in Germany reports the following statements made by Ludendorf’s secretary probably true reflection action of Ludendorf “Formal order has been given for retirement to Germany of all the troops now in other countries, and with these available, Hindenburg can again cope with Allied forces. We are working now to gain necessary time.
  2. Austria already lost to us, is now disintergrating but we will gain for our army all Germans now in Austria.

Turkey is not worth mentioning

Disorganization of troops makes it difficult to say how much they can be counted on but in any case we will surely (*) line of Meuse for some time. We are prepared for worse, realizing our tired soldiers will have hard time repulsing victory-flushed Allies. We think Allies will attack along the line Lille-Brussels-Liege and also north of Verdun toward Thionville and the Palatinate.

Verdun front worries us greatly because it most threatens Germany and we are sending there all divisions at our disposal as result of shortened front and recall troops from foreign lands. I do not know how many divisions we have there but possibly 50 or 60. They will hold Americans and French.

Our retreat has been greatly helped by failure of Allied aviators to destroy railroads and other lines of communication. Had aviators done more, under present crowded conditions of railroads, the catastrophe would have equaled that of Bulgaria and Palestine.

At recent royal council of war Ludendorf frankly (*) he could no longer count on 100 divisions as complete units.” The report is long.

Other items follow in other cables. Pershing informed.

D A V I S

Kes

(*) Ommission.

Original Format

Letter

Files

http://resources.presidentwilson.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/WWI1283A.pdf

Collection

Citation

Davis, John William, “Copy of Telegram,” 1918 October 24, WWP25321, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.