Helmuth von Moltke, Chief of the German General Staff from 1906 to 1914. He commanded Germany's armies at the beginning of the war, but was replaced after the German defeat at the Marne.
Exz. von Moltke, Chef des Generalstabes der deutschen Armee am Schreibtisch sitzendChief of General Staff of the German army sitting at his desk.Photochemie, Berlin 2583
"If, contrary to expectations, Austria-Hungary should be compelled to take measures against Serbia, officials here count upon a localisation of the conflict, as England is altogether peacefully disposed, and France and Russia seem to be equally free from any belligerent inclinations. Senator Humbert's disclosures on the state of the French Army are seen as having come at a most opportune moment for the interests of world peace. To sum up, the Auswärtiges Amt [Foreign Office] does not take a pessimistic view of the situation and it has therefore also been decided not to upset the holiday and travelling arrangements of those in authority; nonetheless everyone is prepared for eventualities. . . ."
Excerpt from a report of July 17, 1914 from the Saxon Chargé d'Affaires in Berlin to the Saxon Minister for Foreign Affairs. Although Austria-Hungary is preparing to deliver an ultimatum to Serbia that it expects will be rejected, after which Austria-Hungary will war on Serbia, both Austria-Hungary and its ally Germany are striving to make it appear no such war is in the offing. Just as the Austro-Hungarian Minister of War and Chief of the General Staff are on leave, so too are Prussian Minister of War von Falkenhayn and German Chief of the General Staff von Moltke.Journalist and French Senator Humbert wrote and spoke extensively about the inadequate state of the French Army.
July, 1914; the Outbreak of the First World War; Selected Documents by Imanuel Geiss (Editor), page 121, copyright © 1967 Imanuel Geiss, publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons, publication date: 1967
von Moltke, Moltke, 1914, July, 2014-07-17
