Germans, without knowledge of the
psychology of other peoples, believed that Great Britain had her
hands full and that the moment had come when they could go to war
and leave Great Britain out of all calculations. So studying only
the German mind, believing that all peoples in national character
are like the Germans, the Great General Staff, the greatest
military aggregation the world has ever seen, failed lamentably,
whenever the human element became the factor in the situation.
Its military successes have been marvellous; its judgments of
mankind ridiculous. Its errors of judgment may be arranged as
follows:

_Error Number One._

Italy was in alliance with Germany and Austria, although there
was no greater hate before the war than that between Italians and
Austrians; and the Great General Staff believed that Italy would
remain in this unnatural alliance, would fight in order to give
the Germans and the German-Austrians the domination of Europe.
The victory of the Central Empires would have placed Italy under
that Austrian influence from which in her struggle for freedom
under the leadership of Cavour, Garibaldi and Victor Emanuel she
had liberated herself.

Prince Buelow, who early in his career romantically married a
charming Italian of good family, was sent to Rome to keep Italy
neutral. But he failed.

_Error Number Two._

Germany's belief that because of the Carson movement Great
Britain was immobilised and could take no part in the war.

_Error Number Three._

The theory cherished especially in military circles that because
the Japanese army had been trained by Prussians Japan would join
Germany. Indeed, at the moment when the Japanese were packing
their trunks and preparing to leave their Embassy, a German crowd
with flags and torches was assembled in front cheering Japan,
the latest ally of the Entente.

_Error Number Four._

The belief by the General Staff that the British Colonies would
render no assistance to the mother country.

In the first days after England entered the war many German
statesmen said to me, "Of course, now Canada will be incorporated
in the United States." The Germans believed that the practical
thing, for the moment, for the Canadians was to avoid war, to
disavow all their obligations and ties of blood and permit
Britain to be destroyed. The General Staff thought that because
the world did not have actual proof of the German designs of
world conquest, because th