Mr. Lloyd George proceeded to show the wonderful effects of
our offensive on the Somme. The enemy had either to bend to it or to meet it. They chose the latter alternative. But this meant they had no spare troops with which to proceed with their Verdun attacks, that they could send no aid to their generals on the eastern front, and that they could render no help to the Austrians. The offensive must not be thought of in metres and kilometres, but in its general and indirect effect. Breaking through would have been a success. Forcing the enemy to bring his armies away from Verdun in order to prevent our breaking through was an equally great achievement for us. But, continued Mr. Lloyd George, no one pretended that the enemy was yet at the end of his resources. No doubt his armies were just as numerous as they ever were, and his equipment as formidable as it ever was. That was true, however, of the Germans alone. It was not true of their Allies, the Austrians and the Turks.
Previous page
