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Peoples of Austria-Hungary in 1914 from Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd. The empire's population included Germans, Magyars, Romanians, Italians, and Slavs including Croats, Serbians, Ruthenians, Czechs, Slovaks, Poles, and Slovenes.
Fantasy map of Europe with the territory of Germany and Austria-Hungary incorporated into France, Russia, Italy, and Serbia. Children representing Belgium, Great Britain (pen in hand), Russia, and France admire the result as Germany and Austria-Hungary walk away bearing their dead or dying national symbols, the eagle or double-headed eagle. A postcard by Aurelio Bertiglia.
Two American soldiers march with an angel overhead. In the background, a woman with a Red Cross flag leads ships, tanks, planes, soldiers marching and hauling cannon. The postcard by Arthur Mayeur for the August, 1918 Pas-de-Calais Days was to raise funds for widows in the Département Pas-de-Calais in northwestern France. The first fundraisers were held on August 13 and 15, 1916, the second two years later on August 13, 18, and 23, 1918. Mayeur illustrated fundraising postcards on both occasions, with three in 1918. America entered the war in April, 1917, but did not join the battle till May of 1918. Thanks to fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journée_du_Pas-de-Calais, August 7, 2018, for information.
Enver Pasha, Turkish Minister of War
Folding postcard relief map looking north from the River Aisne to the Oise Canal, from Compiègne to Soissons, and from Noyon to St. Gobain, France. A hand drawn arrow indicates Pimprez, marked with an 'X'.
"Slovene politicians who desired a united Yugoslavia openly collaborated with Czech and Polish separatists, fraternization reaching a peak at a Pan-Slav congress convened on August 16 at Laibach (Ljubljana), attended by thousands. As features of the affairs, a monument to the memory of Dr. Johann Krek, courageous fighter for a united South Slavdom, was unveiled, and warmly Pan-Slav speeches were delivered; for instance, Count Skarbeck, a Pole, declared that Slav unity from Danzig (Gdánsk) to Trieste would thwart the menacing Berlin Bagdad proposition. Now Klofáč boldly asserted that the Czechs would not traffic with Vienna, but would 'struggle for complete independence,' reinforced by fellow Slavs and by the knowledge that the Entente was dedicated to a free Czechoslovakia. 'To-morrow is ours,' announced Korošec prophetically." ((1), more)
". . . the whole thing could collapse as soon as this year. Here I can see and hear more than you can, and I have also read various secret orders. The mood among the troops is quite extraordinarily bad. Many regiments that are supposed to attack are simply refusing to do so . . . Troops coming back there from the field simply refuse to cooperate, and officers can barely show themselves on the streets in the evenings. In my opinion, we will have the same conditions here as in Russia within one year at most. Not one person in the officer corps believes that we will gain a victory any more, and everyone believes that there will be a collapse." ((2), more)
"Next morning [August 18, 1918] the Germans attempted to reënter Frapelle but were repelled by the Americans who were holding on to the much-battered remnants of the village. The casualties suffered were heavy for the result achieved. A total of 571 casualties of whom 1 officer and 35 men were killed and 11 officers and 176 men were gassed, was a costly affair for taking so small a section of useless trench, except that it gave the division its first taste of actual war. Relieved on August 23, the 5th Division moved to the American Area and joined the First American Army Corps." ((3), more)
"The Etra Aleppo and Damascus in the summer of 1918 contain in the weekly reports the invariable remark: no coal. . . .The procurement of wood for the railroad in Syria and Palestine became more and more difficult, because during the past few years the supplies anywhere near the railroad had been used up, . . .In consequence of the insufficiency of the food, the desertions to the rear became exceedingly numerous in August. . . .In the 19th Division in the coast sector, which on account of much malaria had been exchanged in August for the 7th Division in the western hills, the infantry patrols frequently returned with bleeding feet and without accomplishing anything, because with their miserable foot gear they could not march on the stony slopes . . .From August 19th to 20 a stronger British attack took place after extensive preparation by artillery, in the dune terrain of the coast . ." ((4), more)
"For [Ludendorff] 20 August was 'another black day' with 'heavy and irreplaceable losses.' 'On August 20th a deep salient was made at Cuts,' he wrote, 'rendering the position of the troops, with the Oise in the rear, exceedingly uncomfortable. In the direction of Nouvron, also, the enemy broke into our line, but was driven back, although not completely, by counter-attacks delivered by good German Jaeger divisions.' Given the exposed position of German troops in front of the Rivers Oise and Ailette he reluctantly agreed to sanction the withdrawal of the right wing of the Ninth Army behind the Oise, while moving the centre back behind the Ailette a day later. 'The battle has again taken an uncomfortable course, in spite of all our precaution,' he added, 'the nerves of the Army had suffered. In some places the men would no longer stand the tremendous artillery barrages and tank attacks which had become still more severe.'" ((5), more)
(1) President Woodrow Wilson's Fourteen Points included calls for the satisfaction of nationalist aspirations:9. Readjustment of the frontiers of Italy along clearly recognizable lines of nationality.10. Assuring the freest opportunity of autonomous development to the peoples of Austria-Hungary.11. Restoration of Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro; free access to the sea accorded to Serbia; international guarantees of the independence and integrity of the several Balkan states.13. Erection of an independent Polish state, which should include the indisputable Polish territories, having access to the sea, and guaranteed by international covenant.(Quoted in King's Complete History of the World War, page 371.)The Berlin to Baghdad axis and railway, crossing Austria-Hungary, occupied Serbia, and Bulgaria, would be crossed and thwarted by a Slavic axis from a Polish state on the Baltic Sea to Trieste on the Adriatic Sea. Yugoslavia would be the Union of South Slavs that Gavrilo Princip had killed and died for.
The Passing of the Hapsburg Monarchy, 1914-1918 2 Volumes by Arthur James May, pp. 736–737, copyright © 1966 by the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania, publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press, publication date: 1966
(2) German Lieutenant Richard Schütt writing to his parents on August 17, 1918 and recommending they sell their war bonds as quickly as possible.
Hundred Days: The Campaign that Ended World War I by Nick Lloyd, page 91, copyright © 2014 by Nick Lloyd, publisher: Basic Books, publication date: 2014
(3) The 5th Division was in the Vosges mountains, and easily took the village of Frapelle on August 17. Holding it the next day was a far greater challenge. Until August 25, 1918, American troops had been fighting under French or British command. Although some continued to do so, the formation of the First American Army Corps began to bring most under direct American command under General John J. Pershing. Frapelle is about 70 km southeast of Strasbourg.
The History of The A.E.F. by Shipley Thomas, page 199, copyright © 1920, by George H. Doran Company, publisher: George H. Doran Company, publication date: 1920
(4) Excerpts from German General Liman von Sanders chapter 'The Month of August 1918' in his memoir. He was then on the Syria/Palestine front which was, despite the withdrawal of thousands of British Empire troops to fight on the Western Front, collapsing with shortages of coal, wood, food, supplies, and men. Sanders tried in vain to get the attention of the incompetent Turkish War Minister Ismail Enver to turn from his adventures against Russia and Persia on the Caucasus front, to which Enver had shipped six Turkish divisions, over 30,000 men, to expand an empire threatened in Syria, Palestine, and Mesopotamia.
Five Years in Turkey by Liman von Sanders, pp. 258, 259, 260, publisher: The Battery Press with War and Peace Books, publication date: 1928 (originally)
(5) The success of the Anglo-French Battle of Amiens, particularly the seven-mile advance on a broad front in the first day, stunned German commander Erich Ludendorff who referred to a 'black day for the German Army.' Military and civilian leaders met at Spa on August 13 to review the situation, to be joined by the Emperors Wilhelm II of Germany and Karl of Austria-Hungary the next day. Some of the officers who met with him thought Ludendorff was suffering a nervous breakdown.
Hundred Days: The Campaign that Ended World War I by Nick Lloyd, page 74, copyright © 2014 by Nick Lloyd, publisher: Basic Books, publication date: 2014
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