Entente, a manner devoid of weakness and uniting confidence
with reasonable war aims, but also in a manner which would enable the
Ministry eventually to disavow the advances.

My friend undertook the task with just as great zeal as efficiency
and, in brief, this is what he told the Berlin leaders, Erzberger[9]
and Suedekum in particular. As far as he could judge, we had now
reached a turning point. The next few weeks would decide whether it
was to be peace or war _a l'outrance_. France was tired and not
anxious for America's entry into the war if it was not to be the
latter. If Germany forced the Entente to continue the war the
situation would be very grave. Neither Austria-Hungary nor Turkey
could do more. Germany, by herself, could not bring the war to a
successful end. Austria-Hungary's position was obvious to the whole
world. She was ready to make peace without annexations and without war
compensation, and to devote all her energies to preventing the
recurrence of a war. (Austria-Hungary's standpoint was that a
universal, equal, but extensive disarmament on sea and on land offered
the only means to restore the financial situation in Europe after the
war.)

Germany must publicly notify her position just as clearly as
Austria-Hungary had done and must declare the following:

(1) No annexations, no indemnities.

(2) Particularly the unconditional and total release of Belgium
(politically and economically).

(3) All territories occupied by Germany and Austria-Hungary to be
evacuated as soon as both those States had had their
territories restored to them (including the German
colonies).

(4) Germany, as well as Austria-Hungary, to work for a general
disarmament and guarantee that no further war be possible.

Such declaration to be a joint one from the German Government and the
Reichstag, and to be made public.

The peace resolution of July 19, 1917, was the result of this step.
The Imperial Chancellor Bethmann was the first victim. The Supreme
Military Command, by whom he always had been persecuted, now trying to
secure his dismissal, declared such resolution to be unacceptable.
When Bethmann had gone and Michaelis had been appointed, they were
satisfied.

Although the resolution in itself was satisfactory, it had one fault
at the start. It was no secret that everyone connected with
Pan-Germanism, especially the German generals, disagreed with the
decision, and